By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

An ideal government will treat all its citizens, both humans and nonhumans, equally, without envy.

dhrtarashtra uvaca
dharma-ksetre kuru-ksetre
samaveta yuyutsavah
mamakah pandavas caiva kim akurvata sanjaya
[Bhagavad-gita 1.1]

In the history of Mahabharata, there was a dispute in the same family who would occupy the throne. Dhrtarashtra was the eldest son of the king, and the next was Pandu, By the law of primogeniture, the eldest son becomes the king. In your country, England, even girl child, Queen Elizabeth, also occupies the throne. Formerly there was Queen Victoria; before that, another Elizabeth. But in India woman has no such right. The general regulation is that woman should remain under the protection of father, husband and children. Just like these Pandus, their mother, Kunti, was a very qualified lady. But stili, after the death of her husband, she always remained with the sons. When the sons went to the forest, she also went. Their wife, Draupadi, also accompanied them.

Dhrtarashtra was the eldest son, but he had a bodily defect he was blind. Therefore he was not awarded the throne. His next brother, Pandu, was offered the throne, but he died at an early age, while he was a young man. When the Pandavas – Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva – were small children, they were taken care of by Dhrtarashtra and other elders like Bhishmadeva, the grandfather of the Pandavas. Bhishma was the elder brother of Dhrtarashtra’s father, and the kingdom belonged to him. But he remained a brahmachari, unmarried. Therefore his nephews, Dhrtarashtra and Pandu, became the inheritors.

After the death of Pandu, there was a conspiracy. Dhrtarashtra felt, “Actually, this is my kingdom. Somehow or other, I could not get it. Now my brother is dead. So if I do not inherit, why not my sons?” This was the politics. Politics is always there, accompanied by enviousness, jealousy. This is the nature of this material world. You cannot avoid it. Spiritual world means just the opposite. There is no politics, jealousy, or enviousness. That is spiritual world. And material world means politics, jealousy, diplomacy, enviousness so many things. This is material world. So even in the heavenly planets, these things are there. Even in animal kingdom, politics is there. This is the nature-matsarata. Matsarata means enviousness. One man is envious of another man. It doesn’t matter, even they are brothers or family members. Here the family members, Dhrtarashtra and Pandu, were two brothers of the same family, but the enviousness crept in.

So the Krishna consciousness movement is not for the persons who are envious. It is a movement to train people how to become non-envious. Yes, it is very first-class scientific movement not to become envious. Therefore Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.1.2) in the beginning declares dharmah projjhita-kaitavoatra. In this Srimad-Bhagavatam, dharma, cheating type of religious principle is completely eradicated, thrown away, projjhita. They are kicked out, projjhita. Just like you collect all the dirty things from the room, sweep them and then kick out; you don’t keep it within the room. Similarly, cheating type of religious system kicked out. It is not such religion, “this religion,” “that religion.” Any religion system, if there is jealousy, it is not religion. We should understand what jealousy is. Jealousy means that you are rightful owner of something; I won’t allow you to take it. This is jealousy; try to understand it. Suppose you are the rightful owner of something, and I am trying to own it, that is jealousy.

So what is the rightful ownership of the living entity, what is our birthright? That is to be understood. Everyone has a right to live under the protection of the government. A good government should give security of life and property to everyone, to both humans and non-humans. Not that I give protection to my brother, and not to others. Just like Pariksit Maharaja: he was giving protection to the animals also. When he was on his tour, as soon as he saw that a black man was trying to kill one cow, he immediately took his sword and challenged, “Who are you? You are trying to kill?”

So this is good government. The government must be equal to everyone, just as God is equal to everyone. The king or the government must be the representative of God. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, the king is offered as good respect as to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The king is called nara-deva, which means”God in human form,” because he acts as the representative of God. He cannot be jealous to any living entity, at least, to those born in his kingdom. Praja means one who has taken birth, or, in other words, national. So that was the duty.

So formerly, when there was fight between two kings, it was on the principle that who is giving good protection to the citizens. The war was not for personal profit. One who is able to give good protection, life, security for life and property, he should become the king. So these persons, this Dhrtarashtra and his sons, they were jealous. How they could give protection to the citizens? They are themselves jealous. Just like nowadays, all these politicians, they are jealous. They cannot give any protection to the citizens. They are simply interested with their party politics. They have no time even to think how to give nice protection to the citizens so that they may feel happy always that “We have got good government. There is no cause of anxiety. We have got sufficient food, sufficient protection, sufficient opulence, everything sufficient.” That is good government.

So here, Dhrtarashtra is jealous. He cannot give any good government. Krishna knew it. Krishna sent a messenger, Akrura. You have read in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Before this Battle of Kurukshetra from Dvaraka, He sent his uncle Akrura: “Just go to Hastinapura, New Delhi, and see what is the situation.” So Akrura understood that Dhrtarashtra was planning something. So he talked with him that “Why you are implicated in such planning? Krishna does not want it.” Dhrtarashtra knew that Krishna was the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So Dhrtarashtra said that “I know that what I am planning, that is not good. I know Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And He has requested me. But I tell you frankly, I cannot do without it. So when Krishna will be pleased upon me, I may be.”

So this is the position of the materialistic person. A materialistic person knows that he is sinful. A materialistic person knows that whatever he is doing is wrong, but he cannot check. Just like the thief. A thief knows that if he commits stealing, he will be arrested, he will be punished. He knows. Because he heard from law books, from other sources, and he has also seen that a thief is arrested and he is taken by the police for being punished. So we have got two kinds of experiences: by hearing and by seeing directly. In Bengali it is called, dekha-suna. The two kinds of experience: one by seeing, practically experiencing, hand to hand; another by hearing. So one who is intelligent, he gets his experience simply by hearing from the right source. That is nice.

So our process is that we are getting experience about the perfect knowledge, the destination of life, simply by hearing from Krishna, So we are the most intelligent person. It is not possible to experience directly, but if one has got intelligence, then simply by hearing and considering and thinking over it, he gets the experience. So those who are very sinful, they get experience by hearing and by direct, directly seeing also; still, they cannot check from sinful activities. So Dhrtarashtra, by his sinful activities he became so much fallen that he did not hear anybody’s advice, Vidura’s advice, Bhishma’s advice, that “Don’t plan like this. The Pandavas are the rightful owners. They are minor, but don’t try to cheat them.”

So the planning was complete and the war field was set up at dharma-ksetre kuru-kshetre. Dharma-kshetre means, kuru-kshetre, that place is a pilgrimage. People still go to observe religious ritualistic performances. And in the Vedas there is injunction, kuru-kshetre dharmam acaret: “If you want to perform some ritualistic ceremonies, religious, then go to Kurukshetra.” So Kurukshetra is a dharma-kshetra. It is a not fictitious thing, just like rascal commentators say, “Kurukshetra means this body.” It is not that. Try to understand Bhagavad-gita as it is. Kurukshetra, dharma-kshetre. It is a place of religion. And especially when Krishna was present there, it is already. Why this house? Before our occupation, why this house was an ordinary house? Now it is temple. It is dharma-ksetra. it is a religious place. Why? Because Krishna is there. Krishna is there. So either you take Kuruksetra, ordinary place. But because in the battlefield Krishna was there directing Arjuna. So it is already dharma-ksetre.

So formerly people were religiously trained up. So they could not speak lies in a dharma-ksetra. That is still the practice. Just like in the western world, the Christians go to the church, they admit, confession, “Yes, I have done it.” But that has become a formality. But actually, one should admit in religious place that “Yes, I have done this.” But that does not mean you admit and again do it. No. You admit once, then you are excused. But don’t do it again.

So here Dhrtarashtra says, samaveta yuyutsavah [Gita 1.1]. Mamakah. That means “my sons,” and pandava, “my brother Pandu’s sons.” Samaveta, “they assembled.” What is the purpose? The purpose is yuyutsavah. This word yuyutsu is still used in Japan. Perhaps you know, yuyutsa, fighting. So yuyutsu, those who are desirous of fighting. Now, both the parties were desiring to fight, and they assembled. Why he is asking question, kim akurvata: “What did they do”? Because he was little doubtful that “These boys, after being assembled in Dharma-ksetra kuru-kshetre, they might have changed their ideas. They might have settled up.” Actually, the sons of Dhrtarashtra might have admitted, “Yes, Pandavas, you are actually the owner. What is the use of unnecessarily fighting?” So he was very much anxious whether they had changed their decision. Therefore he is asking. Otherwise there was no question of asking, kim akurvata. Just like if you are given food, if I ask somebody that “Such and such gentleman was served with nice dishes. Then what did he do?” This is a foolish question. He would eat. That’s all. (laughter) Similarly, when it is already settled up that they were to fight, there was no such question as kim akurvata, “What did they do?” But he asked this question because he was doubtful whether they had changed their opinion.

Kim akurvata sanjaya [Bg. 1.11.] He was asking his secretary. He was blind man. He was always conducted by his secretary Sanjaya, a very faithful secretary. And he is explaining the Bhagavad-gita by experiencing, by television within the heart. That art is not yet developed. You have got television through machine, but there is another television you can see within your heart everything, what is going on outside. Sanjaya says that by the grace of Vyasadeva, he learned this televisioning, and he was sitting with his master within the room and he was actually seeing how the fighting is going on. And he was explaining. This is the basic principle of Bhagavad-gita, I mean, the basic platform. Thank you very much. Hare Krishna

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16417

By Daya Hladini devi dasi and Yogapaty das

On behalf of the Russian Speaking yatra in London we are pleased to share with you the exciting activities and achievements that kept us busy and joyful in Krishna consciousness throughout the month of March:

Bhajan Band Recording: Our newly formed Bhajan band has embarked on an exciting journey by initiating the recording of musical Bhajans in the studio. We are eagerly looking forward to sharing the release with you soon!

Celebrating Group’s Birthday: We are also happy to share photos that we just received from the anniversary festival celebration of our Russian speaking group in February. Please see the pictures by clicking on the following link – https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/m0l6sdvqug03bau2kj4oe/h?rlkey=2sw86yl7ri4myhv74d32h1p51&dl=0

The event took place in a rented big hall within a Christian church, where we were honored to have Radha Govinda Prabhu and his wife Moksa Rupa Mataji straight from Romania as our special guests.

A joyous day spent with devotees, commemorating the anniversary with lively kirtan and a sumptuous feast. The day was filled with joyous activities including poems reading, stand-up shows, and lecture all cantered around Krishna consciousness life.

Gaura Purnima Celebration: Our group came together to celebrate Gaura Purnima day at the temple, followed by active participation in the Maha Harinam. For a better harinama appearance Matajis come together wearing same colour sarees to make it seem nice and appealing for people passing by.

Monthly Sunday Feasts: As part of our regular activities, we continued our delicious service of cooking Sunday feasts at the Soho temple to please the devotees of the Lord. In March, we prepared a delicious prasadam including dal, sabji, pakoras, salad and cakes, which was enjoyed by all the devotees on Sunday feast.

St. Patrick’s Day Harinama: We also took the opportunity to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by joining a very exstatic Harinama in central London, adding a spiritual touch to a festive mood in the town.

Online Namahattas: Recognizing the challenges of a busy lifestyle in London, we introduced online namahattas on Thursdays. This month, we read and discussed the stories of Vrindavan and its residents to awaken natural interest and attraction to Krishna’s pastimes within our hearts.

These sessions include kirtan, lecture and discussions, catering to the needs of devotees who may miss out on regular offline gatherings during the week.

Prabhus Mentorship Group: Our mentorship group engaged in a fruitful session this month listening to a talk of the devotee based on the Bhakti Vijnana Goswami Maharaj’s article “13 Recommendations on How to Better Your Sadhana.”

The insights gained were invaluable in deepening prabhus spiritual practices.

Matajis Mentor Group: This month, the Matajis mentor group had a very uplifting discussion about their realizations followed by supporting each other on their spiritual paths and finished by deepening the understanding of a humble attitude in the life of devotee.

Namahattas Continuation: Our commitment to Namahattas remained strong, organizing three very atmospheric gatherings this month.

One namahatta included a special guest, Gaura Sundara Prabhu, a legendary preacher among Russian-speaking groups. We were very honoured to have him with us!

Each Namahatta follows a standard format with a nectarian kirtan, followed by a lecture or a reading and discussing session and delicious prasadam.

This helps us foster family-like relations among devotees and strengthens our connection with each other.

Bhakti Sastri Graduates: We are proud to announce the first set of graduates from the Bhakti Sastri course organized by our senior devotee, Vrajendra Kishor Prabhu. Despite the graduation, we continue to hold Bhakti Sastri courses on a weekly basis, where we delve deeper into the depths of Srila Praphupada books.

This gives us an amazing opportunity to explore together the profound teachings Praphupada has left us.

Vrajendra Kishor Prabhu initiated a Bhakti School for devotees interested in reading and discussing Srila Prabhupada’s books. Leading weekly discussions on the Bhagavad Gita, he provides a cozy online gathering for all the participants.

These activities reflect our group’s commitment to spiritual growth, Srila Praphupada mission, community engagement, and joyous celebrations among the devotees.

We look forward to more enriching experiences in the coming months and to serve dearest RadhaLondonIsvara as best as we can.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=112497

To some people, “devotion to God” may conjure grave activities: prayer, worship, and religious observances. They may not associate joy with devotion. Yet in fact, joy is a natural result of devotion.

One of Krishna’s primary teachings in the Gita is that we are not the body that we inhabit but we are a soul. He says, “As the sun alone illuminates all this universe, so does the soul, one within the body, illuminate the entire body by consciousness.” (Gita 13.34) That soul is not some random, foreign particle but is part of Him, of Krishna, as Krishna Himself declares: “The souls in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts.” (Gita 15.7)

Just as a drop of ocean water has the qualities of the vast ocean, so as part of Krishna, we, as spiritual entities – souls – have His qualities. Krishna, for example, is eternal, and we (as spirit souls) are too, as Krishna explains: na jayate mriyate va kadacin, “For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time.” (Gita 2.20)

Besides being eternal, Krishna is also blissful (ananda). (Brahma-samhita 5.1) And as part of Him, we are also blissful by nature. To be blissful – to be joyful – is our birthright. It’s part of who we are; it’s our natural constitutional nature. And we revive that nature when, with an attitude of devotion, we come in touch with Krishna or His devotees.

In the words of Barbara Holdrege, Professor of Religious Studies at the University of California in Santa Barbara, “The joy of bhakti is actually Krishna’s own bliss. What the bhakta is tasting when the bhakta experiences joy is actually just a reflection of Krishna’s own nature that they are partaking of.”

Perhaps we can feel an ember of joy lying beneath our daily weighty problems and stresses. Perhaps when we’re chanting Hare Krishna or serving Krishna in any one of a myriad of ways, we can feel the dichotomy between our deepest identity as a joyful being and what we tend to experience in daily life. In other words, maybe we can occasionally glimpse the fact that this world is not offering us the happiness that’s our birthright; it’s not giving us everything we seek.

Not Getting What We Seek

Govinda Dasi, one of Srila Prabhupada’s early disciples, relates that when she first met Prabhupada he asked her about her life.

When she told him that she’d traveled extensively in Europe, he said, “Oh, you are so young and you’ve traveled so much?”

“Yes,” she said. “But none of it made me happy.”

Prabhupada smiled beautifully and said, “Ah yes, that is required.”

In other words, what can propel us toward devotional service to Krishna is the understanding that this world does not and never will give us what we seek – lasting joy. In Krishna’s words: “Four kinds of pious men begin to render devotional service unto Me – the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.” (Gita 7.16)

But devotional service to Krishna can transform our life: The first symptom of pure devotional service, Rupa Goswami says, is immediate relief from all kinds of material distress.

Just as when a hungry person eats a nutritious meal her hunger abates and she feels pleased, similarly when we, as souls, revive our relationship with Krishna, we feel detached from all that’s material and we feel fulfilled. We feel joyful. In Krishna’s words, brahma-bhutah prasannatma na shochati na kankshati samah sarveshu bhuteshu: “One who is transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything. He is equally disposed toward every living entity.” (Gita 18.54)

Or, in the words of the Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.19): “As soon as irrevocable loving service is established in the heart, the effects of nature’s modes of passion and ignorance, such as lust, desire, and hankering, disappear from the heart. Then the devotee is established in goodness, and he becomes completely happy.”

Another symptom of pure devotional service that Rupa Goswami mentions is that it automatically puts one in transcendental pleasure. Sria Prabhupada elaborates:

It is stated that as the personal attendants and maidservants of a queen follow the queen with all respect and obeisances, similarly the joys of religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and liberation follow the devotional service of the Lord. In other words, a pure devotee does not lack any kind of happiness derived from any source. He does not want anything but service to Krishna, but even if he should have another desire, the Lord fulfills this without the devotee’s asking. (The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 1)

There is, however, much more dimension to the joy a devotee experiences than the joys of religiousness, economic development, sense gratification, and liberation. There’s even more than the external joy that’s so clearly present in the minds and hearts of the devotees when they’re smiling, dancing, and laughing as they chant Hare Krishna and do other services for Krishna’s pleasure.

For example, in the pastime of Krishna’s chastising Kaliya, when Krishna understood that the multi-headed serpent was poisoning the water of the Yamuna River, He jumped into the river and swam around in it, challenging Kaliya. Kaliya grabbed Krishna in his thick black coils and apparently trapped Him there. Seeing this, Krishna’s friends, the cowherd boys, who were on the riverbank, became overwhelmed with grief. They’d devoted their activities, affection, thoughts, and lives to Krishna and knew no one but Him. When the other residents of Vrindavan heard what was happening, they rushed to the riverbank and on seeing Krishna in that condition were, like the cowherd boys, overcome with anxiety and fear and grief. Krishna’s mother, Yashoda, tried to enter the water but, restrained by the others, fainted. Krishna remained seemingly trapped in Kaliya’s grip for two hours, and by that time His friends and relatives on the shore were practically dead from grief. Seeing their condition, Krishna freed Himself, danced on Kaliya’s many hoods, and soundly defeated him.

The fear, anxiety, grief, dread, and near-death state these devotees felt are not what we usually identify as joy, but in the transcendental understanding, these emotions are not just joy, but are extreme joy. They are not due to any material cause, nor are they tinged with anything material. They are purely in relation to Krishna and are therefore ecstatic.

Another example of the absolute nature of emotions in the transcendental realm is when Krishna left His dear girlfriends, the gopis. Their overwhelming sorrow at separation from Him is understood to be the highest of all ecstasies, vipralambha-bhava, the feeling of being apart from their most beloved.

Emotions Beyond Duality

This material world that we know is a relative one. It’s full of dualities: pleasure and pain, enjoyment and suffering, honor and dishonor, good and bad, young and old. In Krishna’s world, however, the absolute world, there are no dualities. Whatever is in relation to Krishna is all good, however it appears externally.

What can we, who are still in the grip of the relativities of this world and have not yet reunited with Krishna enough to feel any sort of ecstasy in relation to Him, do with this knowledge of the absolute nature of spiritual emotions? Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gives us a hint when He prays, “I know no one but Krishna as My Lord, and He shall always remain so, even if He handles Me roughly by His embrace or makes Me brokenhearted by not being present before Me. He is completely free to do anything and everything, yet He is always My worshipful Lord, unconditionally.” Sikshashtaka 8)

This attitude of “Whatever happens, my dear Krishna, whether apparently good or apparently bad, I am Yours” is pleasing to Krishna and pleasing to us, too. It’s a commitment and resolve we can strive for. It means we give ourselves over to Krishna and depend on Him for shelter, knowing that in the final analysis, whatever happens, there is no other shelter anywhere in the creation. By remembering Krishna in good times, those times become better. By remembering Him in difficult times, those times become less difficult.

After Krishna had saved Queen Kunti and her sons from constant dangers – poisoning, arson, cannibals, a vicious assembly, sufferings during their exile in the forest, the great battle of Kurukshetra, and a nuclearlike attack – Queen Kunti prayed, “I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths.” (Bhagavatam 1.8.25)

This is a world of calamities, and chief among them are the inevitable dwindling, suffering, and demise of the body that we’re in. But Krishna is more powerful than those calamities, and by remembering Him we overcome material calamities and associate with Him.

“He who meditates on Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his mind constantly engaged in remembering Me, undeviated from the path, he, O Partha, is sure to reach Me.” (Gita 8.8)

I, for one, can’t pray as Queen Kunti does; I don’t want calamities in my life. But I can appreciate her mood of complete dependence on Krishna and her implicit faith that by seeing Him we will no longer experience birth, death, old age, and disease. I can appreciate that her mood is the result of becoming detached from this world and taking full shelter in Krishna.

In the Innermost Core of Our Hearts

There’s a fascinating verse toward the end of the Chaitanya-charitamrita (Antya 4.176):

‘dvaite’ bhadrabhadra-jnana, saba—‘manodharma’
‘ei bhala, ei manda’,—ei saba ‘bhrama’

“In the material world, conceptions of good and bad are all mental speculations. Therefore, saying ‘This is good’ and ‘This is bad’ is all a mistake.”

Srila Prabhupada comments on this point in a letter (May 20, 1976): In this material world, to say this is good and this is bad has no value. To us, everything material is bad as it is lacking Krishna consciousness. Just like wet stool and dry stool. Stool is stool, but somebody is saying that wet stool is better than dry stool. What is this good and bad? The top side of some stool is dry and the bottom side is wet, but anyway that you take it, the material world is stool, and it must be given up. Therefore, we are trying to get out of the material world and go back to home, back to Godhead. In this world of duality, this is good and this is bad has no meaning, it is called manodharma, mental concoction. However, the real truth is that Krishna says that duhkhalayam ashashvatam, the world is a place of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. Now is this good misery or bad misery? Misery is misery; and you have to die, good die or bad die. So to us everything material, without connection to Krishna, is to be rejected as stool, otherwise we will waste valuable time needed to solve the real problems of life, namely, birth, death, disease, and old age.

Joy is our birthright because we are part of God and He is joyful. Since joy is inherent to us, we are driven to search for it, but we spend our lives searching in the wrong place – in the material world – having forgotten that we’re spiritual beings. Lasting joy, however, cannot be found anywhere within the material world. It’s there within each of us in the innermost core of our hearts; it’s in our relationship with Krishna, with His devotees, and with everything related to Him. Joy is amply available to us, but we need guidance to access it. When we receive that guidance, the direction of a qualified spiritual teacher, we find there are unimagined facets of joy.

When Srila Prabhupada founded ISKCON, he created seven purposes for it, the third of which is “To bring the members of the Society together with each other and nearer to Krishna, the prime entity, and thus to develop the idea, within the members and humanity at large, that each soul is part and parcel of the quality of Godhead (Krishna).”

And what do the members of the Society – the devotees – do when they come together? Krishna Himself explains: “The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are fully devoted to My service, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss from always enlightening one another and conversing about Me.” (Gita 10.9) Simply by keeping the company of and serving Krishna’s devotees we can experience the joy of devotion. And that joy is meant for everyone.

Source: https://btg.krishna.com/joy-of-devotion/

In a recent article, Canada Immigration News (CIN) reported significant growth in the immigration of religious minorities to the country. While it focused on Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia, the phenomenon is true across Canada. “The proportion of Canada’s population that identifies as being Muslim, Hindu, or Sikh has more than doubled in 20 years.” ISKCON Temples across Canada are not only centers of worship and service but also provide meaningful connections for these new immigrants navigating Canadian culture.

As part of the article, CIN spoke to the Temple President of ISKCON Halifax, Shammy Sohal. Halifax was founded in 1749 by the British as a strategic military outpost and trading center. Over the centuries, it has evolved into a bustling port city, playing significant roles in maritime trade, immigration, and as a key naval base during both World Wars. 

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-featured-in-nova-scotia-stats-on-growth-of-religious-minorities/

Our consciousness is a very important factor. The most important factor in anything we do is our consciousness. And if we have material consciousness we will suffer, for sure. And if we have vaisnava consciousness we will be able to assimilate and digest different situations.

It may be one of those situations like walking through fire; and when you come out the other side you’ll be a new person. Many times with think if we walk through fire we will just get burned to ashes. And sometimes Krishna gives us situations which are like walking through fire. And if you surrender to the Lord and you come out the other side you’ll be a new person.

I seriously think that since we made that “mistake” of chanting Hare Krishna and asking Krishna to give us service, and Krishna is like a magician, He’s got big sleeves, and Krishna has got so many things inside of his sleeves, so many tricks that He is planning to use on us to make us walk through fire. Because we asked for it. If we didn’t ask for it – he wouldn’t do it. But we asked for it!

Just remember – nobody ever told you that Krishna Consciousness is going to give you life free from problems.

Everybody told you that coming to Krishna consciousness is the endeavor to attain the highest thing.

Just like the majority of you here went to the university. And you know there’s like a regular diploma and the red diploma. So much work to get the red diploma, so much study and so much sacrifice! So much development of the intelligence. 
Even to get a red diploma so hard work. Two red diplomas – double work. Krishna Prema Bhakti – so hard work!

Sometimes we have to walk through fire. Krishna wants us to walk through fire. And we say “No-no-no, I can’t walk through fire”, and Krishna is going “Come on” and we’re like “No-no-no-no-no”, and Krishna is like “Come on”, and then we walk through fire…

Sarvopadhi vinirmuktam tat paratvena nirmalam, nirmal means spotlessly pure. See just like if you take gold from the ground, you take it out and it doesn’t shine like gold. But they burn it, and they burn it, and they burn it, and they burn it, then it shines like gold. So Krishna will burn us many times – then we will shine like gold. And then we get that stamp: “Yes, this is a Devotee”.

Or what does Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur say? He says: “If you think you’re a Devotee – you’re not a Devotee. If you think you’re a Guru – you’re a resident of hell, permanent resident visa. Because Krishna is our Guru as the knowledge is coming from Krishna. And all of us we are simply meant to repeat the knowledge.

«Become pure devotees!»

All of us we should really be on the first command when it comes to Krishna consciousness. That is my request to all of you wonderful people, all of you wonderful devotees out there. Take it seriously. The only thing that will make us become advanced is deepening our hearing and chanting about Krishna.

If you’re one of the ones who are practicing for over 20 years and sometimes you feel like: “Gosh, when is it ever going to end?”

Increase the quality of your chanting.

Increase the quantity of your chanting.

Read more Srimad Bhagavatam. Read Caitanya Caritamrita. Read prayers.

Acaryas have written so many prayers. Read prayers of acaryas. Pray to Krishna. Krishna will hear you, when you read the prayers of acaryas – He hears you. When you speak in your own words: “Krishna, help. Krishna, save me”, Krishna will hear you.

But if we wish to become advanced we have to take the responsibility to do it.

Take the responsibility to do it. Like I can’t depend on him [points to a devotee in the audience] to make me advanced. I I can’t depend on Sri Krishna to make me advanced. The process is called self realization. Self-realization. So take the tools. The knowledge that comes in these books and the knowledge that comes in chanting Hari Krishna. Become Krishna’s pure devotee… Go back to the spiritual world! Go back to the spiritual world and serve Krishna with love!

And be with Krishna so that He can serve you with love. That’s another enigma, you know, we want to be the servants of God, we want to be the servants of Krishna – He is the best of all servants. He’s the greatest! But no one is as servant than Krishna.

So become a pure devotee and go back to the spiritual world! And it will be based, again, upon what? Hearing and chanting about Krishna. And the foundation of that is what? Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=63232

“So far your question regarding women, I have always accepted the service of women without any discrimination” (Letter to: Gurudasa — Los Angeles 26 May, 1972)

In terms of our personalities and abilities, no two of us are alike. Why should we be? And why would anyone want us to be? Variety, Srila Prabhupada tells us, is the mother of enjoyment. Whatever our personality, whatever our talents, Prabhupada wants us to use them in Krishna’s service.

Yet when we learn from Prabhupada’s teachings that women are to be chaste, tolerant, shy, and subservient, it may seem that while men have variegated personalities, women’s personalities are expected to be uniform. But in fact, in their service to Krishna, women’s personalities differ from one another’s as much as men’s.

To accept the wonderful variegatedness inherent within each of His devotees, Krishna is unlimitedly variegated. Srila Rupa Goswami describes Krishna’s personality in his Bhaktirasamrita- sindhu. Krishna, he says, is dhirodatta, or grave, gentle, forgiving, merciful, determined, humble, highly qualified, chivalrous, and physically attractive. He is also dhiralalita, or naturally funny, always in the bloom of full youth, expert in joking, free from all anxieties, domesticated, and submissive to His lover.

As a dhira-prasanta Krishna is peaceful, forbearing, considerate, and obliging. And as a dhiroddhata He is envious, proud, easily angered, restless, and complacent.

We may ask how someone can have four quite opposing personality traits, but as Krishna is the reservoir of all transcendental qualities and activities, and as He exhibits limitless varieties of pastimes, there’s no contradiction in Him possessing all types of character traits and exhibiting them at different times and in different circumstances.

Krishna’s devotees also have different character traits. Among His wives, for example, Rukmini is grave, always engaged in her service to Krishna, and always feeling satisfied in that service. Satyabhama, on the other hand, has quite a different nature. She sometimes feels inferior to Rukmini, is sometimes envious of her, and competes with her.

When Krishna appeared as Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Rukmini’s mood was exhibited by Gadadhara Pandita. “Gadadhara Pandita’s pure ecstatic love for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was also very deep. It was like that of Rukminidevi, who was always especially submissive to Krishna. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu sometimes desired to see Gadadhara Pandita’s affectionate anger, but because of his knowledge of the Lord’s opulences, his anger was never invoked.” (Cc. Antya 7.144, 145). Satyabhama’s mood was present in Jagadananda Pandita: “The affectionate loving exchanges between Jagadananda Pandita and Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued in this manner, exactly like the exchanges between Satyabhama and Lord Krishna related in Srimad- Bhagavatam.” (Cc. Antya 12.152)

Srila Prabhupada comments, “In the pastimes of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Jagadananda Pandita was always in disagreement with the Lord like Satyabhama, whereas Gadadhara Pandita was always awed by the Lord’s opulence and was therefore submissive to the Lord under all circumstances.” (Cc. Antya 7.145)

In other words, Krishna engages with His devotees according to their different natures and relishes all the many varieties of loving exchanges He has with them. Similarly, Srila Prabhupada attracted a wide gamut of people, from former pickpockets to PhDs, from the reticent to the rebellious and, whatever we were, engaged us in his service and the service of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. It wasn’t that we, his followers, had to fit some stereotyped personality, but that we could, while following the principles Srila Prabhupada prescribed, be who we were – both in terms of our qualities and our work – for Krishna’s pleasure. As no one can claim that Krishna loved Rukmini more because she was gentle and Satyabhama less because she was feisty, so because he saw their intent, Srila Prabhupada loved all his followers despite what others might consider character flaws. Prabhupada wrote, “Because devotees are persons, therefore there will always be some lacking – but the difference is that their lacking, because they have given up everything to serve Krishna – money, jobs, reputation, wealth, big educations, everything – their lackings have become transcendental because, despite everything they may do, their topmost intention is to serve Krishna.” (Letter to: Atreya Rsi, Bombay, February 4, 1972)

Among Srila Prabhupada’s women followers, some were (and are) quiet and tolerant, and others, opinionated and outspoken. Prabhupada did not expect strong, assertive women to give up their personalities; he accepted and engaged every type of woman, just as Krishna accepts love from all His wives with all their diverse moods. Characteristically practical, Prabhupada taught us to use our personality in Krishna’s service, because to try to give up something so deeply embedded in us won’t last, will cause needless suffering, or both. In fact, Prabhupada saw that his women followers could help him fulfill the sacred mission given to him by his spiritual master, namely to spread Krishna consciousness throughout the world. He wrote, “In India all the acaryas and their descendants later on acted only from the man’s side. Their wives were at home because that is the system from old times that women are not required to go out. But in Bhagavad-gita we find that women are also equally competent like the men in the matter of Krishna Consciousness Movement. Please therefore carry on these missionary activities, and prove it by practical example that there is no bar for anyone in the matter of preaching work for Krishna Consciousness.” (Letter to Himavati, London, December 20, 1969)

When his female followers avidly distributed his books with amazing success, Prabhupada was very pleased, but some of those followers had some doubts. They found that they couldn’t distribute books and at the same time be shy, a primary feminine quality that Prabhupada emphasized. Rather, they were obliged to be bold. Some presented this quandary to Prabhupada. He responded, “Regarding the problem of how to be aggressive on Sankirtana and submissive in the temple, my request to you is that you should go on being aggressive on Sankirtana. I myself was aggressive in coming to your country. No one invited me. Even you boys and girls did not invite me. But, I came and I preached aggressively, and therefore you are now my disciples. So now you well know you have to approach the men and women of your country, and it may appear that superficially that you have to disturb them. They are doing their business peacefully, and you come and disturb them, ‘Please take this Krishna book.'” (Letter to: Jagaddhatri, Pasupati, Sailogata, and Pamela, Dallas, July 30, 1975)

In Prabhupada’s view, aggressiveness used in Krishna’s service is purifying. He continues in the same letter, “If you are completely aggressive on Sankirtana, there should be no material aggressiveness and pride remaining. You have to distinguish between devotees and non-devotees. Aggression for the cause of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is pure. If you become completely absorbed in such aggression to spread Sankirtana Movement, there will be no question of wanting to lord it over in the temple. Preaching purifies us of these material tendencies for sense gratification. It is simply a matter of time that you will see this. Do not worry. Krishna will help you.”

We are, after all, multi-dimensional creatures. To try to hammer ourselves into a box not meant for us is to make us into dismal caricatures of ourselves – hollow, inconsequential, fleeting, and miserable. Let us not confuse unity with uniformity – with actions, feelings, and words that are identical. This is not unity; it is conformity. Instead, whatever our personality, let us use it in Krishna’s service and for His pleasure. That is unity in diversity.

In Srila Prabhupada’s words, “In the material world there are varieties, but there is no agreement. In the spiritual world there are varieties, but there is agreement. That is the difference. The materialist without being able to adjust the varieties and the disagreements makes everything zero. They cannot come into agreement with varieties, but if we keep Krishna in the center, then there will be agreement in varieties. This is called unity in diversity . if we fight on account of diversity, then it is simply the material platform. Please try to maintain the philosophy of unity in diversity. That will make our movement successful.” (Letter to Kirtanananda, Bombay, October 18, 1973)

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20529

Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 7: The Science of God Chapter 14: Ideal Family Life

Summary

Maharaja Yudhisthira inquired from Narada Muni: O my lord, O great sage, kindly explain how we who are staying at home without knowledge of the goal of life may also easily attain liberation, according to the instructions of the Vedas.

Narada Muni replied: My dear King, those who stay at home as householders must act to earn their livelihood, and instead of trying to enjoy the results of their work themselves, they should offer these results to Krsna, Vasudeva. How to satisfy Vasudeva in this life can be perfectly understood through the association of great devotees of the Lord.

A grhastha must associate again and again with saintly persons, and with great respect he must hear the nectar of the activities of the Supreme Lord and His incarnations as these activities are described in Srimad-Bhagavatam and other Puranas. Thus one should gradually become detached from affection for his wife and children, exactly like a man awakening from a dream.

While working to earn his livelihood as much as necessary to maintain body and soul together, one who is actually learned should live in human society unattached to family affairs, although externally appearing very much attached.

An intelligent man in human society should make his own program of activities very simple. If there are suggestions from his friends, children, parents, brothers or anyone else, he should externally agree, saying, “Yes, that is all right,” but internally he should be determined not to create a cumbersome life in which the purpose of life will not be fulfilled.

The natural products created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead should be utilized to maintain the bodies and souls of all living entities. The necessities of life are of three types: those produced from the sky [from rainfall], from the earth [from the mines, the seas or the fields], and from the atmosphere [that which is obtained suddenly and unexpectedly].

One may claim proprietorship to as much wealth as required to maintain body and soul together, but one who desires proprietorship over more than that must be considered a thief, and he deserves to be punished by the laws of nature.

One should treat animals such as deer, camels, asses, monkeys, mice, snakes, birds and flies exactly like one’s own son. How little difference there actually is between children and these innocent animals.

Even if one is a householder rather than a brahmacari, a sannyasi or a vanaprastha, one should not endeavor very hard for religiosity, economic development or satisfaction of the senses. Even in householder life, one should be satisfied to maintain body and soul together with whatever is available with minimum endeavor, according to place and time, by the grace of the Lord. One should not engage oneself in ugra-karma.

Dogs, fallen persons and untouchables, including candalas [dog-eaters], should all be maintained with their proper necessities, which should be contributed by the householders. Even one’s wife at home, with whom one is most intimately attached, should be offered for the reception of guests and people in general.

One so seriously considers one’s wife to be his own that he sometimes kills himself for her or kills others, including even his parents or his spiritual master or teacher. Therefore if one can give up his attachment to such a wife, he conquers the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is never conquered by anyone.

Through proper deliberation, one should give up attraction to his wife’s body because that body will ultimately be transformed into small insects, stool or ashes. What is the value of this insignificant body? How much greater is the Supreme Being, who is all-pervading like the sky?

An intelligent person should be satisfied with eating prasada [food offered to the Lord] or with performing the five different kinds of yajsa [pasca-suna]. By such activities, one can give up attachment for the body and so-called proprietorship with reference to the body. When one is able to do this, he is firmly fixed in the position of a mahatma.

Every day, one should worship the Supreme Being who is situated in everyone’s heart, and on this basis one should separately worship the demigods, the saintly persons, ordinary human beings and living entities, one’s forefathers and one’s self. In this way one is able to worship the Supreme Being in the core of everyone’s heart.

When one is enriched with wealth and knowledge which are under his full control and by means of which he can perform yajsa or please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one must perform sacrifices, offering oblations to the fire according to the directions of the sastras. In this way one should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, is the enjoyer of sacrificial offerings. Yet although His Lordship eats the oblations offered in the fire, my dear King, He is still more satisfied when nice food made of grains and ghee is offered to Him through the mouths of qualified brahmanas.

Therefore, my dear King, first offer prasada unto the brahmanas and the demigods, and after sumptuously feeding them you may distribute prasada to other living entities according to your ability. In this way you will be able to worship all living entities — or, in other words, the supreme living entity within every living entity.

A brahmana who is sufficiently rich must offer oblations to the forefathers during the dark-moon fortnight in the latter part of the month of Bhadra. Similarly, he should offer oblations to the relatives of the forefathers during the mahalaya ceremonies in the month of Asvina.*

One should perform the sraddha ceremony on the Makara-sankranti [the day when the sun begins to move north] or on the Karkata-sankranti [the day when the sun begins to move south]. One should also perform this ceremony on the Mesa-sankranti day and the Tula-sankranti day, in the yoga named Vyatipata, on that day in which three lunar tithis are conjoined, during an eclipse of either the moon or the sun, on the twelfth lunar day, and in the Sravana-naksatra. One should perform this ceremony on the Aksaya-trtiya day, on the ninth lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kartika, on the four astakas in the winter season and cool season, on the seventh lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month of Magha, during the conjunction of Magha-naksatra and the full-moon day, and on the days when the moon is completely full, or not quite completely full, when these days are conjoined with the naksatras from which the names of certain months are derived. One should also perform the sraddha ceremony on the twelfth lunar day when it is in conjunction with any of the naksatras named Anuradha, Sravana, Uttara-phalguni, Uttarasadha or Uttara-bhadrapada. Again, one should perform this ceremony when the eleventh lunar day is in conjunction with either Uttara-phalguni, Uttarasadha or Uttara-bhadrapada. Finally, one should perform this ceremony on days conjoined with one’s own birth star [janma-naksatra] or with Sravana-naksatra.

All of these seasonal times are considered extremely auspicious for humanity. At such times, one should perform all auspicious activities, for by such activities a human being attains success in his short duration of life.

During these periods of seasonal change, if one bathes in the Ganges, in the Yamuna or in another sacred place, if one chants, offers fire sacrifices or executes vows, or if one worships the Supreme Lord, the brahmanas, the forefathers, the demigods and the living entities in general, whatever he gives in charity yields a permanently beneficial result.

O King Yudhisthira, at the time prescribed for reformatory ritualistic ceremonies for one’s self, one’s wife or one’s children, or during funeral ceremonies and annual death ceremonies, one must perform the auspicious ceremonies mentioned above in order to flourish in fruitive activities.

Narada Muni continued: Now I shall describe the places where religious performances may be well executed. Any place where a Vaisnava is available is an excellent place for all auspicious activities. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the support of this entire cosmic manifestation, with all its moving and nonmoving living entities, and the temple where the Deity of the Lord is installed is a most sacred place. Furthermore, places where learned brahmanas observe Vedic principles by means of austerity, education and mercy are also most auspicious and sacred.

Auspicious indeed are the places where there is a temple of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, in which He is duly worshiped, and also the places where there flow the celebrated sacred rivers mentioned in the Puranas, the supplementary Vedic literatures. Anything spiritual done there is certainly very effective.

The sacred lakes like Puskara and places where saintly persons live, like Kuruksetra, Gaya, Prayaga, Pulahasrama, Naimisaranya, the banks of the Phalgu River, Setubandha, Prabhasa, Dvaraka, Varanasi, Mathura, Pampa, Bindu-sarovara, Badarikasrama [Narayanasrama], the places where the Nanda River flows, the places where Lord Ramacandra and mother Sita took shelter, such as Citrakuta, and also the hilly tracts of land known as Mahendra and Malaya — all of these are to be considered most pious and sacred. Similarly, places outside India where there are centers of the Krsna consciousness movement and where Radha-Krsna Deities are worshiped must all be visited and worshiped by those who want to be spiritually advanced. One who intends to advance in spiritual life may visit all these places and perform ritualistic ceremonies to get results a thousand times better than the results of the same activities performed in any other place.

O King of the earth, it has been decided by expert, learned scholars that only the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, in whom all that is moving or nonmoving within this universe is resting and from whom everything is coming, is the best person to whom everything must be given.

O King Yudhisthira, the demigods, many great sages and saints including even the four sons of Lord Brahma, and I myself were present at your Rajasuya sacrificial ceremony, but when there was a question of who should be the first person worshiped, everyone decided upon Lord Krsna, the Supreme Person.

The entire universe, which is full of living entities, is like a tree whose root is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Acyuta [Krsna]. Therefore simply by worshiping Lord Krsna one can worship all living entities.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead has created many residential places like the bodies of human beings, animals, birds, saints and demigods. In all of these innumerable bodily forms, the Lord resides with the living being as Paramatma. Thus He is known as the purusavatara.

O King Yudhisthira, the Supersoul in every body gives intelligence to the individual soul according to his capacity for understanding. Therefore the Supersoul is the chief within the body. The Supersoul is manifested to the individual soul according to the individual’s comparative development of knowledge, austerity, penance and so on.

My dear King, when great sages and saintly persons saw mutually disrespectful dealings at the beginning of Treta-yuga, Deity worship in the temple was introduced with all paraphernalia.

Sometimes a neophyte devotee offers all the paraphernalia for worshiping the Lord, and he factually worships the Lord as the Deity, but because he is envious of the authorized devotees of Lord Visnu, the Lord is never satisfied with his devotional service.

My dear King, of all persons a qualified brahmana must be accepted as the best within this material world because such a brahmana, by practicing austerity, Vedic studies and satisfaction, becomes the counterpart body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

My dear King Yudhisthira, the brahmanas, especially those engaged in preaching the glories of the Lord throughout the entire world, are recognized and worshiped by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the heart and soul of all creation. The brahmanas, by their preaching, sanctify the three worlds with the dust of their lotus feet, and thus they are worshipable even for Krsna.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17504

This gentleman man from NY came up to my table asking if I have a Bhagavatam set , I asked how he knows about Bhagavatam ? He says his wife sent him a picture of her friend receiving Bhagavatam set from me in Decatur Patel brothers and asked him to get a sb set for her. I showed him English and Gujarati Bhagavatam sets so he can choose one but he wanted to take both sets since he is driving. What are the chances ? All this happened in 5 mins while I was just hearing a live class from Vaisesika prabhu from Japan. Sankirtan is fun & easy.

Source: https://dandavats108.blogspot.com/2024/04/what-are-chances.html

This is a nice letter I got today. If we don’t go out they will never know.
Hare Krishna my friend,
We met a few days ago while I was walking out of class at Florida state. I’m the young man who knew the mantra already and knew about George Harrison, the musician. I just wanted to tell you how much that conversation meant to me. I’m quite the pessimist but even for me it’s hard to believe our meeting was just coincidence. I have been a huge Beatles fan and more specifically a George Harrison fan for many years. I even have a George poster in my room, the one from all things must pass which I have on vinyl as well. This is why I believe our meeting wasn’t an accident. As I told you I’m not religious or spiritual at all but I feel something changing in me. I’ve been chanting the mantra for a few days now and I’ve been reading the books you showed me. My mind is opening as a result, I’m going to keep an open mind and I hope we will stay in touch! I hope I will see you again.
P.S. I followed you on Facebook as well!

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=112490

Dear Devotees,

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

The 2024 GBC AGM Resolutions have been released at the below link:

https://gbc.iskcon.org/gbc-resolutions/

Please click the bottom link for 2024.

The GBC will continue to meet online during the year and will process other
proposals that were not able to be covered during the AGM. These will also
be published in due course.

Hare Krishna.

Your servant,

Ananda Tirtha Das
(GBC Corresponding Secretary)

Read more: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=112493

There is a new sankirtan sensation in New Zealand that is creating a fire of enthusiasm and camaraderie in the community. It is called the “One Book A Day” challenge (OBAD) and was initiated by Bhakta Jordan from The Loft Outreach Centre in Auckland. 

Bhakta Jordan himself first came in contact with Krishna Consciousness through book distribution. His sister came home after meeting a sankirtan devotee in a car park and brought him back a Chant and Be Happy. After reading a few chapters, he started watching Srila Prabhupada’s lectures online and chanting the maha mantra. All this before even associating with devotees and getting his first japa kit. Fast forward six years and Bhakta Jordan has now been following the principles of bhakti yoga and steadily chanting 16 rounds for two years while living in a contemporary working men’s ashram. He often distributes books on the way to his painting job in the early mornings (petrol stations are his favourite spot). Frequently, he distributes books before 7:00 am! He calls it “Books Before Breakfast.”

The idea for the OBAD challenge came to him after Devamrita Swami gave a presentation at the end-of-year sankirtan celebration in New Zealand, stating, “Don’t just leave books to our big distributors; we can ALL do something.” Inspired by this, he decided to create a challenge that was originally aimed at working devotees like himself and those in the grihastha ashram. 

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/the-one-book-a-day-challenge-in-new-zealand-sparks-enthusiasm-worldwide/

Though it is Easter weekend, a time of sacredness for Christian brethren, in Durban this time slot is also holy for Krishna followers. The festival of Jaganath, a name for Lord meaning Lord of the Universe, the local point for Durbanites of Krishna (and the whole country of bhaktas) has become the opportunity to praise the Supreme. There are a number of heroes I met today that took the lead in such praises over this blessed weekend.

Craid Lucas, a winner for the major talent show in South Africa, released his golden voice on the stay. Very powerful. I met him at the Durban temple and also backstage. What a nice soul!

Also singing on stage, was Jade Green. Not only is he a vocalist, guitarist, mrdunga drummer but he championed walking. Last year he sought my advise on marathon walking. To this day he completed a six month walk along South Africa's coast line. He did it for God just he does for his singing.

From Back to Godhead

What is the effect of chanting Hare Krishna?

The names of the Lord in the maha-mantra Hare, Krishna, and rama are invested with His full potencies. Singing God’s names, therefore, is to contact Him through the medium of transcendental sound. Thus, the effect of chanting is the same as the effect of directly associating with the Lord. The following beautiful verse, written by Lord caitanya, describes the seven effects the Hare Krishna mantra has on chanters.

ceto-darpana-marjanam
bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam
sreyan-kairava-candrika-vitaranam
vidya-vadhu-jivanam
anandambudhi-vardhanam
prati-padam purnamrtasvadanam
sarvatma-snapanam param
vijayate sri-Krishna-sankirtanam

“Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Krishna, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. The chanting of the holy name of Krishna expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step.” (Sri Siksastaka 1)

Although many books have been written explaining the theological implications of this verse, the following is a simple summary of the seven effects of chanting Hare Krishna:

(1) The chanting of Krishna’s name is a purifying agent that cleanses our hearts of envy the root cause of our descent to this world and other bad qualities we have since acquired, like lust, greed, and anger.
(2) As it purifies the heart, Krishna’s name also protects sincere chanters from any further contamination from the worldly energy and those affected by it.
(3) chanting awakens pure devotion to Krishna, the soul’s dormant propensity to serve the Lord with love; and further chanting revives the loving devotion that qualifies one for the greatest good fortune Krishna’s association.
(4) A result of acquiring devotion is that devotees become illuminated with spiritual knowledge. Further chanting matures that knowledge into realization, which in time reveals the devotee’s original position in one of the five relationships with Krishna.
(5) To the degree that the heart is relieved of unwanted habits, we become devoted to Krishna; to the degree that devotion is firmly fixed in our heart, we acquire realized knowledge; to the degree that the heart is illumined by both devotion and knowledge, we taste spiritual happiness. In this way the ocean of bliss swells.
(6) chanting frees conditioned souls of the illusion of identifying themselves with their body and mind and establishes them in the cooling reality that they are eternal spiritual entities.
(7) When devotees finally achieve the perfection of chanting, they taste the full nectar of loving devotion to Krishna a nectar that makes the bliss of liberation seem insignificant.

The Spiritual Sound Vibration

When we chant Hare Krishna, we are meant to be in contact with Lord Krishna and His associates. That is the nature of spiritual sound, which is different from the kind of sound that is only heard. Hare Krishna written on a piece of paper is as much a sound as when you speak it. It is sabda-brahma, spiritual sound, and it is not limited to something communicable only from the mouth to the ear. The spiritual energy or potency manifests itself in sabdabrahma. And because it is spiritual, it doesn’t have the restrictions we have here in the material world.

Generally when we speak of sound, it means something we must hear with the ear. And certainly that is also the characteristic of spiritual sound, but it is not limited to that. material sound is something we generally relate to as being a transmission of information. but Hare Krishna is a transcendental sound vibration. If I say some other words, these are material sounds. The difference with the spiritual sound is that it does more than just communicate a message. It contains within it and is empowered with a spiritual potency, and that means it represents the spiritual realm or energies, either in part or whole.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, namnam akari bahudha nija sarva saktin: Krishna’s holy name has all spiritual potency. When you ask, “How are youn” how much potency is in that sentencen but when you say, “Hare Krishna,” then everything that exists within the spiritual world is present, compressed within that sound vibration. And that presence is there whether you see it on paper or hear it in your ear.

The spiritual world also exists in the reality of Srila Prabhupada’s purports. Srila Prabhupada uses the same words we use. He also asked, “How are youn” but because he’s speaking from the spiritual platform, his words are saturated with spiritual potency and therefore have more impact than just a mere question. Aside from posing the question, his words also purify the heart, free one from material contamination, are liberating, and bring about spiritual realizations.

When Srila Prabhupada asked, “How are you?” it was a lot more than just a question. It was not a mere enquiry about well-being. behind it was the intent of someone coming from the spiritual world to liberate us, to bring us closer to Krishna, and that in itself comes across. This is a complex and detailed subject.

Connecting with the Sound

In the Vedanta-sutra it is said that sabda liberates us. When we say Hare Krishna, all the potency of Godhead is there. It is like being in the presence of the Lord, like reading all the Vedas, like seeing the spiritual world, like hearing all of Krishna’s pastimes, like understanding the philosophy if you know how to connect with the sound. That is the challenge: connecting with the sabda. because with any kind of relationship there has to be more than transmission; there has to be reception. If the other person isn’t receiving, then the relationship is not working. If the receiver is no good, you don’t get the message. All our modern media communication is based on information coming from one side and being received on the other. If the receiver is faulty, the whole thing fails. When someone sends a kirtana to your computer, the file appears as a bunch of squiggles if you don’t have the right program to receive it. Similarly, the effects of spiritual sound will be impeded if we’re not tuned in.

The challenge of Krishna consciousness is to be proper recipients of spiritual sound. We have ears, and those are the general instruments, but those are not enough. because sabda-brahma is not just sound. Sabda-brahma works on the level of consciousness. It is not just a sound vibration, though we use that terminology. You have to have the proper consciousness to connect with that sound vibration. Purification of consciousness needs to come about so that there is no obstruction. When we can hear Hare Krishna without offense or interference, then, Srila Prabhupada says, we come directly in contact with God.

Sometimes people say, “Show me God.” This is how to see God: by hearing Hare Krishna. but you have to hear it in a certain way, because your consciousness perceives, not your ear. my tongue is speaking, and the sound is going through the microphone. but the microphone isn’t hearing anything, because it is not conscious. It is transmitting sound, but it is not hearing. Similarly, my ear is an instrument, but I am hearing. The soul is hearing. but if the soul is contaminated, it cannot pick up the message of Hare Krishna. It is interfering.

Purification of consciousness is necessary. How is it donen by chanting Hare Krishna. chanting and hearing purify the consciousness more and more until it is completely pure. Then one can recognize that there’s no difference between Krishna and His name. And then when one says Hare Krishna, the whole spiritual world unfolds, because nija sarva saktin all the potencies of Godhead are present within the sound vibration. nothing is held back. It is a wonderful experience.

We are practicing. We are trying to purify our consciousness to perfectly hear and chant the holy name of the Lord. Then what happens when we can do thatn We continue to chant, because there is nothing more pleasurable. Srila rupa Gosvami expresses the mentality of the perfect chanter: “I do not know how much nectar the two syllables ‘Krishna’ have produced. When the holy name of Krishna is chanted, it appears to dance within the mouth. We then desire many, many mouths. When that name enters the holes of the ears, we desire many millions of ears. And when the holy name dances in the courtyard of the heart, it conquers the activities of the mind, and therefore all the senses become inert.” (Vidagdhamadhava 1.15)

That is the experience of the transcendentalist. We are getting a taste in our conditioned state, and for transcendentalists the experience is millions of times greater. And the nature of the experience is that it makes you want to have more and more and more. We must keep these points in mind and appreciate the divine nature of the Hare Krishna mantra. despite the fact that we don’t have to pay for it, or that we can take it anywhere, or that it is not secret, none of these things diminish its sanctity. We should see what a wonderful thing Hare Krishna actually is.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=27977

From Back to Godhead

If God is inconceivable, as the scriptures state, can we really know anything about Him?

Sri Isopanisad states that Krsna is simultaneously very far away and very close. The Vedic scripturesencourage us: The best way to know Krsna and bring Him closer is to hear about Him.

As we open any book about Krsna, we’ll immediately feel the richness of the clear and scientific knowledge it contains. We’ll also come to understand that Krsna is by nature inconceivable to finite beings. Although some world religions extend that to mean that Krsna is by essence completely inconceivable (not only far away), we cannot agree. Yes, He is ultimately inconceivable, but His name, fame, and form can be known just as we know any person face-to-face. Anyone who wants to be God conscious has to understand this point.

Here’s an example of a statement that ties these two concepts together. It’s from the Srimad-Bhagavatam(10.12.38), in connection with Lord Krsna’s killing and liberating the demon Aghasura, who in the form of a gigantic snake had swallowed Krsna and His friends.

Krsna is the cause of all causes. The causes and effects of the material world, both higher and lower, are all created by the Supreme Lord, the original controller. When Krsna appeared as the son of Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda, He did so by His causeless mercy. Consequently, for Him to exhibit His unlimited opulence was not at all wonderful. Indeed, he showed such great mercy that even Aghasura, the most sinful miscreant, was elevated to being one of His associates and achieving sarupya-mukti [having the same form as the Lord], which is actually impossible for materially contaminated persons to attain.

Srila Prabhupada comments:

Krsna is the cause of all causes. He is the creator of cause and effect, and He is the supreme controller. Nothing is impossible for Him. Therefore that He enabled even a living being like Aghasura to attain the salvation of sarupya-mukti is not at all wonderful for Krsna. Krsna took pleasure in entering the mouth of Aghasura in a sporting spirit, along with His associates. Therefore, when Aghasura, by that sporting association, as maintained in the spiritual world, was purified of all contamination, he attained sarupya-mukti and vimukti by the grace of Krsna. For Krsna this was not at all wonderful.

“Not at all wonderful” is Srila Prabhupada’s way of saying we shouldn’t be surprised or doubtful when we hear of Krsna’s power and opulence. Krsna killed demons. Krsna lifted Govardhana Hill. Krsna married 16,108 wives. None of these acts is at all wonderful, because Krsna did them effortlessly. Krsna is the source of cause and effect, yet He appears as a child. Does that sound incredible, unbelievable? Well, Krsna has infinite greatness. Nothing is impossible for Him.

But we are wonderstruck. Srila Prabhupada named one chapter of his book Krsna “Wonderful Krsna.” Wonderful is a tasty word if it’s not used superficially; it refers to something filled with joy, a superlative experience.

In the scriptures the devotees express their appreciation of “wonderful Krsna” according to their relationship with Him. Queen Kunti prays that although Krsna is the Supreme Truth, in His childhood form He becomes subordinate to mother Yasoda. Although fear personified is afraid of Krsna, He runs in fear from His mother, who threatens Him with a stick. Kunti says that when she thinks of Krsna running fearfully, His black mascara smeared by His tears, she becomes amazed. What fortune Yasoda has to be Krsna’s mother and to subordinate the supreme controller!

The acaryas, the great spiritual masters of the past, havepointed out another aspect of Krsna’s inconceivable power, beyond even that of His expansions and avataras: He performed amazingfeats as a small child. When Krsna killed Putana, He was only a few months old. He was seven when He lifted Govardhana Hill with the pinkie of His left hand. In other incarnations, He assumed large forms to do a large task. To kill Hiranyakasipu He appeared in a huge form as a half man, half lion. Although He begged three steps of land from Bali Maharaja in the form of a dwarf brahmana, He assumed a huge form to reclaim the universe with those steps. Krsna performed equally difficult tasks, yet He performed them in His beautiful Vrndavana form as a cowherd boy. That in itself is wonderful.

When we think of Krsna’s opulence, we see the paradoxes. He is the master, yet He’s subordinate to His devotees. He’s inconceivable, yet He allows us to know Him. In the Third Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the great devotee Uddhava expresses bewilderment at Krsna’s being unborn yet apparently being born, at Krsna’s being fearless yet leaving Vrndavana out of fear of Kamsa. The contradictions are bewildering, and Uddhava’s separation from such a wonderful Krsna also bewilders him. And of course, the nondevotees are bewildered because they cannot accept Krsna with His apparent paradoxes. Their mundane morality can never accommodate the inconceivable opulence of Krsna.

Krsna’s Most Attractive Feature

Krsna is wonderful, amazing inconceivably so but we have not touched on the most mysterious and inconceivable of all His qualities: His ability to express love. He is powerful, He is wise, He is strong and famous, but His inclination to love all living beings, and His expression of that love in a variety of ways, is His most attractive feature. And even more attractive than that is His special love for His devotees. Therefore, a devotee, while recognizing Krsna’s mastership over his or her life, does not ever forget this greatest glory of Krsna’s love.

I recently heard Srila Prabhupada on tape speaking about suffering. A devotee asked Prabhupada how we should understand that even though we are devotees, we still have to suffer. Prabhupada took a strong position. He said it was not our right to question that we have to suffer. And we should never think that we would love Krsna more if we didn’t suffer. Nor does Krsna have to explain to us why we are suffering. A devotee sees Krsna unquestionably as master. In the mood of a devotee, Lord Caitanya prays, “Whether You make me broken-hearted or You handle me roughly in Your embrace, You are always my worshipful Lord, birth after birth.” A devotee never doubts Krsna’s loving intention toward him.

I was raised in a nominally Catholic family. We never discussed faith or the reality of God, never broached doubts. As soon as I entered the larger world of college and was exposed to doubts, I had no answers. I remember one teacher saying, “How can there be God if there is so much suffering in the world?” This is a classic theological puzzle: If God is all-good and all-powerful, why are we suffering? How can He be all-loving if His creatures are feeling pain?

A devotee is not bewildered by these apparent contradictions. We may not understand His purposes, but we are never bewildered by them. A devotee has ultimate trust in Krsna’s most wonderful quality.

Therefore, don’t ask Krsna for sense gratification, and don’t bargain with Krsna for something less than love of God. While we acknowledge that Krsna is far away from us, we also feel His closeness and our ability to address Him, just as a child will go to the father to have his desires fulfilled. On the higher stages of Krsna consciousness, devotees may very well express their own desires, but their desires are always for Krsna’s pleasure. Devotees also express a variety of moods, some submissive and some contrary. Krsna enjoys them all.

We can’t imitate those types of expressions, and if we try, we may end up asking for something not in our ultimate interest. Krsna, as the kind father, will provide the “toy.” In the end we may find ourselves telling Krsna we didn’t want what we received, and Krsna saying, “Well, you asked for it, so now you play with it until it breaks.” How sad when we go to Krsna for such things. And how sad that it may take thousands of years of action and reaction to live out the gift He gave us.

The Gopis’ Example

How pleased Krsna must be when He sees a pure devotee who cares only for Him. Srila Prabhupada was ecstatic to hear that the gopis, Krsna’s cowherd girlfriends, never asked Krsna for anything. Prabhupada offered their behavior as an example of real bhakti. Usually, in a conjugal relationship men and women want something from each other. Women usually want security, and even Krsna’s queens in Dvaraka had that. But the gopis had nothing. They never asked for anything. They went to the forest in the middle of the night at the risk of losing their families and reputations, and Krsna did not provide them with any guarantee or indemnity. Therefore, they are considered the highest devotees; they wanted only to give Krsna happiness, to please wonderful Krsna.

After Krsna lifted Govardhana Hill, the cowherd men were bewildered. Who is this wonderful boy? Nanda Maharaja repeated what the priest Gargamuni had told him at Krsna’s name-giving ceremony. Krsna is narayana-sama, “equal to Narayana, or God,” Gargamuni had said. Although the cowherd men understood, they didn’t abandon their parental affection for Krsna. Rather, they said, “Just let us always live in the protection of wonderful Krsna.”

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=28393

After hearing so many complaints from so many devotees, Srila Prabhupada called a meeting of all the devotees. Practically all the devotees in the temple came into Srila Prabhupada’s room, and he listened very sympathetically to what every devotee had to say, and he was really concerned and wanted to improve things.

At one stage the GBC for India protested: “Srila Prabhupada, my only intention was to execute Your Divine Grace’s will.” And Prabhupada replied a little sarcastically, “Is it My Divine Grace’s will that the devotees should be disturbed?”

He made a system. He named certain leaders—Tamal Krishna, Yamuna, me—and said that they should get together every week and discuss the problems, and whatever they decided they should write down in a book of minutes, and they should all sign and then do what they agreed.

But after all was said and done, Srila Prabhupada’s mood seemed to change. He said, “Actually, we shouldn’t become too involved in such concerns, because our real business is to hear and chant about Krishna, and if we become too absorbed in making material arrangements, we will forget our real business of Krishna Consciousness.”

He said that as it is our tendency to discuss mundane topics, so we should be careful and try to minimize the mundane talks and concentrate on hearing and chanting about Krishna. Then Srila Prabhupada said that in his life he never complained, because his policy was always, “Everything for Krishna and nothing for me.”

He mentioned how he struggled to get the passage to America, and then on the way he suffered two heart attacks at sea. And even when he got to America, he suffered in so many ways; he had some buzzing sound in his ears and his head. “I cannot even describe how much I suffered—nor do I want to.”

He said he had suffered in so many ways to establish the Krishna Consciousness Movement, but he never complained because his policy was always everything for Krishna and nothing for himself. So that is why, as a service to Krishna, Srila Prabhupada was serving the devotees, because his ultimate goal was to bring them back to their eternal relationship with Krishna.

He was practically bathing them, feeding them, and dressing them[—teaching them how to live as human beings—so that ultimately he could bring them to the position where he could offer them for the service of Sri Krishna. And he never asked anything in return, never expected anything in return, so he was never disappointed.

——-

Yamuna: Once when we were in Calcutta near the end of 1971, the temple was in low consciousness. So you will be able to study when you are in low consciousness and influenced by the lower modes of nature, and also when devotees around you are in low consciousness.

Our temple was in a state where respect, honor, generosity, affection, consideration, etc. were at a low point. The real and tangible nature of what Krishna Consciousness is was not very evident in our Calcutta temple at the time. And so Srila Prabhupada called the devotees together to his room.

One woman devotee was really upset; she was in bad consciousness, so she didn’t come to the room. Prabhupada immediately noticed her absence and said, “Where is such-and-such devotee?” And one brahmachari said something to the effect that she went off somewhere in a stew, or something like that.

Prabhupada looked at that brahmachari and said, “Go find her.” Shocked, the brahmachari said, “But I’m a brahmachari; a woman should go find her.” And Srila Prabhupada again said, “You go find her.” The brahmachari said, “But I have no idea where she is in the whole of Calcutta.”

Of course, she wasn’t far away; she happened to be across the street chanting her rounds by a lake that’s in front of the Calcutta temple. So anyway, he found her and brought her to the room. The mood was very sober, but Srila Prabhupada wanted to hear from everyone. He went around the room and asked each devotee what they thought was wrong in the temple.

And each person gave their realization, and everyone else listened to that realization. And then Srila Prabhupada spoke. He said that we were all here because he had followed the instructions of his Guru Maharaja and come to the West.

And he then added with great emphasis: “Do you think it was easy for me to leave India all alone and come to America?” And none of us had ever really thought like that—whether it was easy or hard. We had just assumed that he had done that by Krishna’s mercy.

Then he continued, “Do you think it was easy for me when I was in Butler, Pennsylvania, and I opened the refrigerator, and there was cat food next to my vegetables? Do you think that was easy?” And all the devotees almost began to cry, because they began to understand what Prabhupada did for us, and it wasn’t easy.

He came from a place where his mother was carried in a palanquin from one house to the other. He was from another culture, almost like another planet; and he yet came to the West with a trunk full of books and seven rupees.

And we know the prayers he wrote on the Jaladuta. Some of the most beautiful things that Prabhupada ever wrote were those prayers on the Jaladuta where he talks to Krishna, he prays to Krishna.

So, he told us to try to just understand that Krishna Consciousness will not always be easy, and then he said, “Three things are required for success in Krishna Consciousness, and you must always rely on them: enthusiasm, will (or determination) and patience.”

So now you can take just that one little instruction from Srila Prabhupada and start to apply it in your life, and to the degree that you want to become conscious—to the degree that you want to become committed—start examining these things. For almost thirty years, I’ve been going around and asking devotees, “What does will or determination mean to you?”

Because I felt it was one of the weak things for me; if I had more determination I might be a devotee. I wanted that then, and I want that now. So, you’ll decide how much you want these things, but you can go very quickly to Krishna if you want them enough.

And the wonderful thing is you never get filled up—there is never an end to it. Just like Krishna is unlimited, so are these things. So, once we get an inclination of what it means to be a disciple, what it means to surrender, what it means to be committed, what it means to be these three things, they become more and more of your focus, and more and more attractive.

And you ask questions about how other people have them, and you study how you can get them. Because that place that you can go to, even while being in this Kali Yuga place, is so wonderful, so glorious. It’s what human life is meant for.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19328

Krishna’s Home Adult Care Tucson assisted living facility has shared the latest updates on their inspiring, first-of-its-kind project in North America that’s responding to the critical need for 24-hour Krishna-conscious care for aging devotees who have served Prabhupada’s mission for many decades. Project founders Chandrika Devi Dasi and Rama Nama Das describe their vision for the project, “At a crucial time of their lives, devotees will be able to practice bhakti and continue their engagement in Krishna consciousness in a pure atmosphere.”

Latest Updates

“We are on the cusp of a new beginning as we are nearing the completion of essential inspections, ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for our residents,” said Chandrika Devi Dasi. This milestone brings us closer to realizing our vision of a nurturing home for those who are dedicated to Krishna and Srila Prabhupada.”

As their staff continues to take shape, Krishna’s Home has announced that Shanta-devi Dasi, a member of ISKCON Tucson, has completed her Arizona state caregiver courses and is now licensed to bring her passion and dedication to this project. “Her joining us marks the start of building a team that embodies care, devotion, and a profound sense of service,” noted Chandrika Devi Dasi. The home can accommodate up to ten devotees at full capacity. There is already a waiting list of devotees that are eager to move in, and they are looking for additional state-certified home healthcare employees. Devotees are also welcome to come and volunteer their loving and caring association. 

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/the-krishnas-home-adult-care-facility-in-tucson-shares-latest-updates/

Sripada Aindra Prabhu’s appearance day, I share with you a sweet pastime involving him and my disciple Arca-vigraha Dasi, from Aindra: Kirtan Revolution by Kalachandji Das.

When the curtains opened one morning in the winter of 1989, Aindra was amazed by what he saw. Srimati Radharani’s eyes were newly painted. And they were incredible, more beautiful than ever. “Who painted them?” he asked Radha-Shyamasundar’s pujari Bhaktisiddhanta das.

“One of the brahmacharis,” Bhaktisiddhanta had replied.

Aindra knew something was off. No pujari, no artist he’d ever known, would have been able to paint Radharani’s eyes with such bhäva or spiritual expertise. “No way,” he challenged. “Who painted them?”

Bhaktisiddhanta held fast; he wouldn’t identify the source of the transformation. But when Aindra kept asking, Bhaktisiddhanta finally revealed the secret: the renowned South African devotee artist, Arca-vigraha dasi, who had come to India to find themes for her work but was then diagnosed with cancer and remained to spend her final days in Vrindavan, had noticed that the temple Deities were in need of repainting and done the work.

But there had been an obstacle: as was standard, even in ISKCON temples, in India, women were not allowed on the altar. But Bhaktisiddhanta, who had created the bronze bas-relief panels in Srila Prabhupada’s samadhi mandir and was himself an accomplished artist—classically trained in Europe and America and a successful commercial artist in New York—had felt that the Deities deserved Arca-vigraha’s talents and come up with a plan. “I’ll arrange for you to do this service,” he had told her, “but you have to do it in complete secrecy.” Indians especially, but also other pujaris and many devotees would have disapproved of a woman doing the service. “I’ll leave the key to the Deity room on the ledge above the door. Don’t use it any earlier than 10 p.m. By that time, everyone except the boys on night shift for the 24-hour kirtan should be asleep.”

“How will I get in without them noticing?” she had asked. “They sit so near the door.”

“I don’t know,” he’d said. “That’s a challenge.”

A little after ten, Arca-vigraha had been hovering around the door to the altar, waiting for an opportunity, when Aindra had suddenly appeared beside her. “Do you need something, mätäjé?” he had asked.

“No, no . . . thank you,” she’d replied, and left out the temple’s side door.

A little while later, the electricity had gone out (it frequently did), and under the cover of darkness Arca-vigraha had slipped back into the temple and onto the altar, where she had spent the night painting the Deities’ faces, hands, and feet, then sneaking out before the pujaris came to prepare for maìgala-ärati.

The drama had resumed each night for two weeks. On the final night, Arca-vigraha had painted Srimati Radharani’s eyes.

“Where is she?” Aindra demanded.

“Prabhu, calm down . . .”

“Where is she?” he persisted. “If you don’t tell me, I’ll find out from someone else.” And, learning that Arca-vigraha was staying in the guesthouse, he rushed over.

When Aindra knocked on Arca-vigraha’s door, he heard a faint “Come in” and entered.

Arca-vigraha was lying in bed, visibly weak and ill.

Aindra went straight to her feet and touched them with respect. “How did you do it?” he asked.

“Do what?” she replied.

“How did you paint Radharani’s eyes like that?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “I just painted what I was inspired to paint.”

“How do you know what Radharani’s eyes look like?”

“I don’t know what they look like. I just painted them by inspiration.”

“You painted them exactly as I envision them every day in my own meditations!”

Source: https://girirajswami.com/blog/?p=19888

The outdoor cooking had been already going on for a few hours before I papped to check out the scene with the unsung heroes. The moon was directly above and clouds appear to kiss that heavenly body. The smoke from those pots of seasoned biryani was rising, perhaps to kiss the moon so well. In preparation for serving the masses at the Ratha Yatra on its first day of the long weekend tireless volunteers, men and women, rough-it-up in the wee hours of the morning. It is before the 4.30 arati and the very common kadada birds haven't yet awaken.

There is call for rain but that doesn't stop those volunteer's conviction. The mood is "the show must go on." I greeted these people who are so much on the go and when you talk to them you find out this service is annual and it happens every day of the Easter weekend.

It termed out that the threatening rains held back. The biggest threat however, was that the 1.5 million, nands needed to make the show occur hasn't yet come in. Budgets have been cut. Money's tight. I was surprised the water in South Africa is rationed. The overall attitude toward governance of the nation is down.

Once upon a time there was a rich King who had four wives.

He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to the finest of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best.

He also loved the 3rd wife very much and was always showing her off to neighboring kingdoms. However, he feared that one day she would leave him for another.

He also loved his 2nd wife. She was his confidant and was always kind, considerate and patient with him. Whenever the King faced a problem, he could confide in her, and she would help him get through the difficult times

The King’s 1st wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and kingdom. However, he did not love the first wife. Although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her!

One day, the King fell ill and he knew his time was short. He thought of his luxurious life and wondered, I now have four wives with me, but when I die, I’ll be all alone.”

Thus, he asked the 4th wife, “I loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I’m dying, will you follow me and keep me company?”

“No way!” replied the 4th wife, and she walked away without another word.

Her answer cut like a sharp knife right into his heart.

The sad King then asked the 3rd wife, “I loved you all my life. Now that I’m dying, will you follow me and keep me company?”

“No!” replied the 3rd wife. “Life is too good! When you die, I’m going to remarry!”

His heart sank and turned cold.

He then asked the 2nd wife, “I have always turned to you for help and you’ve always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?”

“I’m sorry, I can’t help you out this time!” replied the 2nd wife. “At the very most, I can only walk with you to your grave.”

Her answer struck him like a bolt of lightning, and the King was devastated.

Then a voice called out: “I’ll go with you. I’ll follow you no matter where you go.”

The King looked up, and there was his first wife. She was very skinny as she suffered from malnutrition and neglect.

Greatly grieved, the King said, “I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!”

In truth, we all have the 4 wives in our lives:

Our 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in
making it look good, it will leave us when we die.

Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, it will all go to others.

Our 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for us, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

And our 1st wife is our soul. Often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the world. However, our soul is the only thing that is eternal.

Bhagavad Gita 2:20

For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever existing, undying and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.

Bhagavad Gita 2:24

This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, all-pervading, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same.

Take the time now to come to self-realization, and find your relationship with God.

Bhagavad Gita 6:28

Steady in the Self, being freed from all material contamination, the yogi achieves the highest perfectional stage of happiness in touch with the Supreme Consciousness.

PURPORT

Self-realization means knowing one’s constitutional position in relationship to the Supreme. The individual soul is part and parcel of the Supreme, and his position is to render transcendental service to the Lord.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=2390