ISKCON Desire Tree's Posts (19452)

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Nestled within the vibrant spiritual heart of ISKCON Los Angeles, the Bhagavad-gita Museum stands as a unique fusion of art, devotion, and transcendental storytelling. Located adjacent to the New Dwaraka temple, this museum—also known by its creators as the F.A.T.E. Museum (First American Transcendental Exhibition)—has captivated visitors for decades with its life-size dioramas that vividly depict key scenes and teachings from the Bhagavad-gita, one of India’s most revered spiritual texts.

The museum was envisioned and brought to life under the direct guidance of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder-acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Using traditional methods involving straw, clay, and paint, a team of dedicated artists and devotees created over a hundred intricately crafted figures that illustrate the eternal dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna. Each exhibit is paired with audio narration and dramatic lighting, guiding visitors through the philosophical and devotional essence of Krishna consciousness.

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Latest Update: A Major Renovation Underway

As of 2025, exciting news has emerged for longtime fans and newcomers alike. Bharadraja dasa and Adi Deva dasa, the original artists and creators of the museum under Srila Prabhupada’s personal supervision, have initiated a two-year comprehensive renovation of the Bhagavad-gita Museum. Embracing the museum’s original title, they continue to call it the F.A.T.E. Museum. The renovation will include meticulous restoration of the iconic clay and straw dolls, with detailed patching and fine painting to restore their original luster. Additionally, the museum will feature modernized lighting and exhibit control systems, operated via specialized computer technologies, ensuring a more immersive and technically refined visitor experience.

This ambitious revitalization effort reflects a renewed commitment to preserving and enhancing this unique spiritual and artistic legacy for future generations.

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Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=115867

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Dear ISKCON Devotees,

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

The ISKCON Governing Body Commission (GBC) has noted the Supreme Court of India’s judgment dated 16 May 2025 in the long-standing property dispute between ISKCON Mumbai and ISKCON Bengaluru. ISKCON Mumbai is the official legal entity registered by ISKCON’s Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in January 1971 to be the single legal corporation for all ISKCON temples in India.

It is critical to note that while ISKCON Mumbai was not successful in this case, the May 2025 Supreme Court of India ruling pertains exclusively to a property dispute between ISKCON Mumbai and Bengaluru. The essential point of contention was whether the Bengaluru organization was under ISKCON as Srila Prabhupada ordered in his Will. While the Supreme Court verdict grants the Bengaluru entity the right to use the ISKCON name, it grants no theological recognition or doctrinal endorsement to the ritvik philosophy.

Following the Court’s ruling in favor of Bengaluru in the property matter, Madhu Pandit Dasa, president of the Bengaluru entity, reached out to both the GBC and the India Bureau with a proposal whereby the Bengaluru group of temples would agree to serve under the Governing Body Commission.

While the gesture is appreciated, it came with “a non-negotiable precondition” that the GBC must first agree to rescind its 1990 resolution against the ritvik theory, before any discussion could occur. That resolution declares the ritvik theory to be incompatible with the principle of disciplic succession (parampara) as established by Lord Krishna, taught by ISKCON’s Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and upheld by all previous acharyas. The resolution deemed the ritvik theory a philosophical deviation and prohibited its propagation in ISKCON.

Following the Supreme Court decision and receipt of the Bengaluru proposal, the GBC convened two special meetings of the entire GBC to study the nuances of the decision and the Bengaluru proposal. After careful deliberation, the GBC voted to uphold its previous resolution in full and reaffirmed that the ritvik theory is fundamentally a heresy that directly contradicts the principle of guru-parampara. The GBC reiterates that no one has the authority to change the essential teachings of the parampara system as given by our Founder-Acharya.

The GBC remains committed to open dialogue and discussion, with a sincere desire to unite ISKCON. We continue to appeal to the proponents of the ritvik theory to carefully reconsider their stance in light of the full breadth of Srila Prabhupada’s teachings.

Your servants,
Govardhan Das
Tapana Misra Das
Madhu Sevita Das
GBC Executive Committee

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Yes a picture paints a thousands words and all but instantly conveys the message its creator intended. Whereas reading a thousand words takes a little longer!

However best of all is when pictures and words are combined together and that is why this year we are enhancing Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa Puja book by including photos along with the homages to Srila Prabhupada. So please send us a photo of your temple or project so we can include it along with your offering, so all those who read your offering can get to know a little bit more about where the offering is coming from. The clock is of course ticking and the text for Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa-puja book has already gone to layout for the print edition. So time is of the essence!

The website and app we promised are well on their way to completion too.

So yes, this year we’ve invited devotees who submitted offerings for any part of the ISKCON leaders’ sections or on behalf of their temples, namahatta congregations, projects, or ministries to show Srila Prabhupada what they’ve been up to through photos. I can say from my heart how inspiring it is to hear the amazing reports from centres around the world. Please show Srila Prabhupada – and everyone else connected to his mission – how your project is developing.

For Vyasa-puja 2025, please send no more than 2 good photos. These can be of your temple or centre, project, a group photo of your congregation, the Lordships you serve – what would you most like Srila Prabhupada to see and bless?

If you haven’t already sent yours, photos are due by July 15, 2025! We look forward to receiving yours.

Please upload your photos here:

https://www.vyasapuja.world/

(Helpful photo guidelines are available on the site too!)

Interested in joining the team of devotees brainstorming how to make Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa-puja book as accessible as possible to Srila Prabhupada’s followers everywhere in the world?

Please contact us at vphomages@iskcon.net

We’d love to hear from you.

Your servants,
Vyasa-puja book team

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=115861

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From a Kṛṣṇa Conscious perspective, as taught by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s predicted Golden Age refers to a 10,000-year period within the Kali-yuga where the saṅkīrtana movement—the congregational chanting of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s holy names (Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Rāma)—will flourish, bringing spiritual upliftment and God-consciousness to humanity. This is rooted in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s teachings and scriptural references, such as Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.5.32, where Lord Caitanya is described as the inaugurator of this movement.

Artificial intelligence (AI), as a tool of the material energy (māyā) under Kṛṣṇa’s control, can be harnessed to support this Golden Age by spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness globally, provided it is used in the spirit of devotional service (bhakti). Below is an explanation of how AI can contribute to this divine mission, incorporating Prabhupāda’s teachings with relevant quotes.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/ai-for-the-golden-age/

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On May 25th, ISKCON Melbourne held a special dinner and program for over 50 political and interfaith leaders. The gathering was part of the multi-day celebrations commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of the Melbourne Mahaprabhu Mandir in 1975 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/half-century-of-harmony-iskcon-melbourne-celebrates-with-political-and-interfaith-leaders/

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Five members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Toronto participated in a multifaith event organized by the Ontario Masons, held at the Metropolitan United Church on April 27, 2025. The event brought together representatives from seven different religious traditions, including Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and Sikhism, fostering dialogue and understanding among diverse faith communities.

Representing ISKCON Toronto were Mahabhagavat Das, Aruna Keshavi Devi Dasi, Bhakta Ishaan, Bhakta Vitthal, and Bhaktin Sonam. The event, centered on the theme of “Love and Forgiveness,” provided a platform for representatives to share their perspectives on these universal values. Vinesh Lala of the Ontario Masons has consistently invited ISKCON Toronto to annual events over the years, through his contact at ISKCON Toronto, Raseshwara Madhava Das.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-toronto-devotees-participate-in-multifaith-dialogue-on-love-and-forgiveness/

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By Atma Tattva Das

Introspection: Life in the Shadow of Time is a reflective collection of 18 devotional songs, originally penned by revered Vaiṣṇava poets and adapted into English with commentary by Bhakti Gauravani Goswami, one of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s first disciples in Germany. The book weaves together poetry, images, music, and spiritual insight drawn from and inspired by the Bhakti tradition. It explores themes of awakening, humility, and the soul’s longing for connection with the Supreme Absolute Person, making timeless wisdom accessible through lyrical storytelling.

Bhakti Gauravani Goswami is a spiritual teacher in the renounced order (sannyāsī) within the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), with over 50 years of service in the community. He joined the movement in Germany in the early 1970s, during a period when Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission was beginning to establish a presence in Europe. Bhakti Gauravani Goswami has played a significant role in promoting Krishna consciousness globally, particularly in Europe and Latin America, through activities such as book translation and distribution, music, multimedia preaching, seminars, and personal mentoring. His approach to preaching emphasizes accessible presentations of Bhakti wisdom, a characteristic noted in his work, Introspection.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/book-review-introspection-life-in-the-shadow-of-time/

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Success in spiritual life requires control of the mind, and bhakti-yoga give us the ideal way to do it.

Our mind, an aspect of Krishna’s material energy, can be a helpful ally or a hindering foe.

 

Some five hundred and ten years ago, after Sri Chaitanya had taken sannyasa and was intending to travel by foot from Bengal to Vrindavan, Sri Nrisimhananda Brahmacari decided to serve Sri Chaitanya by creating a broad road for Him to walk on. What Sri Nrisimhananda created was by no means an ordinary road. In his Chaitanya-charitamrita (Madhya 1.156–159), Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami describes it:

He bedecked the road with jewels, upon which he then laid a bed of stemless flowers. He mentally decorated both sides of the road with bakula flower trees, and at intervals on both sides he placed lakes of a transcendental nature. These lakes had bathing places constructed with jewels, and they were filled with blossoming lotus flowers. There were various birds chirping, and the water was exactly like nectar. The entire road was surcharged with many cool breezes, which carried the fragrances from various flowers. He carried the construction of this road as far as Kanai Natashala.

The immense value and natural beauty of the road made it unique, but even more extraordinary was the fact that the road was not physically manifest but was created and existed solely in the mind of Sri Nrisimhananda Brahmacari. Yet Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu accepted it just as if it were a physical road that He could walk on.

Srila Prabhupada explains:

For a pure devotee, it is the same whether he materially constructs a path or constructs one within his mind. This is because the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Janardana, is bhava-grahi, or appreciative of the sentiment. For Him a path made with actual jewels and a path made of mental jewels are the same. Though subtle, mind is also matter, so any path – indeed, anything for the service of the Lord, whether in gross matter or in subtle matter – is accepted equally by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord accepts the attitude of His devotee and sees how much he is prepared to serve Him. The devotee is at liberty to serve the Lord either in gross matter or in subtle matter. The important point is that the service be in relation with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (Madhya 1.161, Purport)

So complete was Sri Nrisimhananda Brahmacari’s meditation that when he could not construct the road past Kanai Natashala (in eastern Bihar), although he was astonished and at first could not understand why the construction stopped, after some thought he confidently declared to the devotees that Sri Chaitanya would not go all the way to Vrindavan at that time. Sri Nrisimhananda said, “The Lord will go to Kanai Natashala and then will return. All of you will come to know of this later, but I now say this with great assurance.” (Madhya 1.162) And that, indeed, is what came to pass.

We may question this story and how it illustrates the mind’s power, but when looked at logically and philosophically, it’s not only reasonable but also soundly convincing.

In the Gita (7.4), Krishna explains that this world is composed of eight material elements: earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence, and false ego. Krishna is ultimately the source of these elements (aham sarvasya prabhavah, Gita 10.8), and they and their combinations compose the entirety of what we can perceive with our senses. Krishna wants us to come closer to Him, and for that purpose He manifests Himself in the form of the deity. The deity, although made of material elements like wood or stone, is identical to Krishna Himself. And if Krishna so desires, He can also manifest in the mind of His devotee, as He did with Sri Nrisimhananda. “The Deity form of the Lord is said to appear in eight varieties – stone, wood, metal, earth, paint, sand, the mind or jewels.” (Bhagavatam 11.27.12) If Krishna wants to appear somewhere, who are we to say that He can’t or wouldn’t or shouldn’t?

Here’s how Srila Prabhupada expresses it:

Bhumir apo ‘nalo vayuh kham mano. So, mind is also another material thing. So if you think of Krishna’s form within the body, mind, it is as good as you worship the deity in the temples made of brass or wood or stone. Because both of them are Krishna’s energy. Whatever possible, He can accept. And that is Krishna, because it is Krishna’s energy. Therefore the energy is not different from Krishna. Krishna can accept your service in any of these material . . . , so-called material. Actually there are no material things. Material things means the desire for sense gratification. That is material. (Room Conversation, Sept. 19, 1973, Bombay)

We may not be expert enough to worship and serve the deity within our mind, but we can give credit to those who are expert enough and marvel at how Krishna reciprocates with them.

Srila Prabhupada writes (Bhagavatam 4.30.28, Purport):

There is a story about a brahmana who was offering sweet rice to the Lord within his mind. The brahmana had no money or any means of worshiping the Deity, but within his mind he arranged everything nicely. He had gold pots to bring water from the sacred rivers to wash the Deity, and he offered the Deity very sumptuous food, including sweet rice. Once, before he offered the sweet rice, he thought that it was too hot, and he thought, “Oh, let me test it. My, it is very hot.” When he put his finger in the sweet rice to test it, his finger was burned and his meditation broken. Although he was offering food to the Lord within his mind, the Lord accepted it nonetheless. Consequently, the Lord in Vaikuntha immediately sent a chariot to bring the brahmana back home, back to Godhead.

How Is This Relevant to Me?

On one hand, our mind limits our spiritual quest: “The mind cannot catch You [the Lord] by speculation, and words fail to describe You.” (Bhagavatam 8.5.26) Worse, the mind can be our archenemy: “Except for the uncontrolled and misguided mind, there is no enemy within this world.” (Bhagavatam 7.8.9)

Yet, as we’ve seen above, that very mind can bring us to Krishna and His abode. The mind is so powerful that our very destiny depends on how it’s situated: “Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.” (Gita 8.6)

If we’re worshiping the deity in the temple and our mind is distracted, a mere show of worship will not be of any benefit. (Bhagavatam 5.8.14, Purport) But if our mind is focused on pleasing Krishna, then we can please Him whatever our material circumstances. Srila Prabhupada: “The whole yogic system is to convert the mind from matter to spirit. You can utilize the mind in both ways. When the mind is spiritually trained up, it is the best friend of the soul, and when the mind is materially polluted, it is the worst enemy.” (Letter, Sept. 28, 1975)

Personal Experience

In almost three quarters of a century in dealing with my own particular mind, I’ve found a few tools that help me befriend it. One is to recognize and respect its overarching power. Sometimes everything can be fine externally but my disturbed mind doesn’t allow me to appreciate anything. In fact, everything seems terrible. And the opposite occurs as well. The holocaust survivor Victor Frankl said, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” Such a choice takes mind control.

I must remember that my mind is not me but something covering me, the atma, or spiritual being, and not take the mind so seriously. Rather, I can acknowledge its condition, become detached from it, and neglect it. Srila Prabhupada writes, “There is one easy weapon with which the mind can be conquered – disobedience. The mind is always telling us to do this or that; therefore we should be very expert in disobeying the mind’s orders. Gradually the mind should be trained to obey the orders of the soul. It is not that one should obey the orders of the mind.” (Bhagavatam 5.11.17, Purport)

Boundaries also help keep the mind friendly. From the beginning of establishing the Hare Krishna movement, Srila Prabhupada requested all his initiated disciples to chant Hare Krishna and follow four regulations. These are firm activities and boundaries that, when followed with the intent of advancing spiritually, do wonders to control and calm the mind. “A person free from all attachment and aversion and able to control his senses through regulative principles of freedom can obtain the complete mercy of the Lord.” (Gita 2.64) Krishna helps the sincere practitioner.

Another tool that I’ve found helpful for keeping the mind in check is a regular daily schedule. Srila Prabhupada writes of the detriment of irregular habits. “Overeating, over–sense gratification, overdependence on another’s mercy, and artificial standards of living sap the very vitality of human energy.” (Bhagavatam 1.1.10, Purport) Srila Prabhupada’s awareness of Krishna was always fresh and vibrant, never hackneyed or stereotyped, and at the same time he generally followed a predictable pattern in his days, rising early to translate, take a morning walk, lecture, have breakfast, and so forth (although he was flexible for special occasions). We can follow this in spirit and establish a regular routine for sleeping, rising, and performing our daily activities, for this helps train the mind to function even if it’s disturbed.

Bhagavad-gita tells us that if one is too austere or too sensuous one cannot control the mind. This is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.20.21):

An expert horseman, desiring to tame a headstrong horse, first lets the horse have his way for a moment and then, pulling the reins, gradually places the horse on the desired path. Similarly, the supreme yoga process is that by which one carefully observes the movements and desires of the mind and gradually brings them under full control.

Purport: Just as an expert rider intimately knows the propensities of an untamed horse and gradually brings the horse under control, an expert yogi allows the mind to reveal its materialistic propensities and then controls them through superior intelligence. A learned transcendentalist withholds and supplies sense objects so that the mind and senses remain fully controlled, just as the horseman sometimes pulls sharply on the reins and sometimes allows the horse to run freely. The rider never forgets his actual goal or destination, and eventually places the horse on the right path. Similarly, a learned transcendentalist, even though sometimes allowing the senses to act, never forgets the goal of self-realization, nor does he allow the senses to engage in sinful activity. Excessive austerity or restriction may result in great mental disturbance, just as pulling excessively on the reins of a horse may cause the horse to rear up against the rider. The path of self-realization depends upon clear intelligence, and the easiest way to acquire such expertise is surrender to Lord Krishna. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (10.10):

tesham satata-yuktanam
bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam
yena mam upayanti te

One may not be a great scholar or spiritual intellect, but if one is sincerely engaged in loving service to the Lord without personal envy or personal motivation the Lord will reveal from within the heart the methodology required to control the mind. Expertly riding the waves of mental desire, a Krishna conscious person does not fall from the saddle, and he eventually rides all the way back home, back to Godhead.

So we befriend our mighty mind through knowledge (“I am a spiritual being”), detachment (“I am not my mind”), purity (chanting Hare Krishna), regulation, and especially through our correct intention. That intention is to come closer to Krishna, and we do that by serving Him with devotion. “Please try to conquer this mind by the weapon of service to the lotus feet of the spiritual master and of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Do this with great care.” (Bhagavatam 5.11.17)

Ultimately our success will be when we relish and rejoice in all aspects of spiritual life. At that time we will be naturally absorbed in Krishna, His devotees, and His service, and will serve Him however we’re able, including within our mind, just as Sri Nrisimhananda Brahmacari did.

Srila Prabhupada writes (Bhagavatam 5.11.8, Purport), “The mind is the cause of material existence and liberation also. Everyone is suffering in this material world because of the mind; it is therefore proper to train the mind or to cleanse the mind from material attachment and engage it fully in the Lord’s service. This is called spiritual engagement.”

Source: https://btg.krishna.com/the-mind-magnificent-and-mighty/

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Looking for greener pastures, many Indians left their homes and migrated to other countries. Even young men and women from traditional conservative families ventured out of their insulated nests with an aim to acquire more knowledge and skills yet with a firm belief that their roots will hold them tight and not give any scope for aberrations. They went with the idea of having the best of both worlds. The best of the material world with its promise of more wealth, fame and fortune; and the ‘other’ world that was already deeply embedded in themselves in the form of traditions, practices and faith in the divine. Apparently the balance was not so easy. Getting the best of both worlds mostly meant compromising on many aspects of this ‘other’ world since it was invisible to others. What practices we followed at home, what religious rituals we identified ourselves with, what food we ate at home and what prayers we chanted, everything was a private affair. What we did or what we did not, did not really matter outside.

In the quest of getting the best of both worlds the ‘private’ inner world is mostly compromised. When Srila Prabhupada went to America he did the opposite. At the age of 69 when he decided to spread the Krishna consciousness movement throughout the world he sacrificed his ‘comfortable’ life in Vrindavan; the best life that any sannyasi can ask for. The respectful, peaceful and spiritually surcharged life in Vrindavan was a huge sacrifice in itself what to speak of the risk that he took upon his own health to travel to a country that was thousands of kilometres away; the distance was not just physical but there was colossal gap in the social and cultural ethos as well. But Srila Prabhupada truly discerned the best from the two worlds and helped many others to do that. The philosophy of yukta vairagya or engaging everything in the service of the divine, specifically in the service of the supreme lord Sri Krishna, was clearly explained by Srila Rupa Goswami in his Nectar of Devotion (Bhaktiramritasindhu). Srila Prabhupada practically applied this philosophy and exemplified the meaning of true renunciation when he utilized all the facilities provided in the materially prosperous United States in the service of Lord Krishna and His devotees. Yet he did not compromise anything in his sacrosanct world of spiritual practices rooted in the Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy. In fact, it was this world of his that made sense of the outside world. This was indeed the best world in the truest sense since it works on the higher principles of selfless love, respect and empathy.

Srila Prabhupada belonged to this best world and being situated there he took the best from all the other worlds and gave it to us. So how can we have the best of both the worlds? By following the same route; situate ourselves firmly on the spiritual plane through our consciousness and take whatever is best available in this material world. As Srila Prabhupada would often put it ‘make the best use of a bad bargain’! Recognizing which among the two worlds is really ‘best’ is the key to get the best of both the worlds. Because most of us get it wrong and prioritize the material world, we end up losing both. In our chase for the best of material comforts we slip off the spiritual plane and sure enough settle down for some hotchpotch, precarious mid ground where the roots are wavering and branches are stalled. Srila Prabhupada explained and exemplified this principle of yukta vairagya. Giving the analogy of a blind and a lame man, he spoke of how some people are endowed with many material facilities but none to progress spiritually. A blind man can carry the lame man on his shoulders and the lame man can direct the blind man, he said. The spiritually blind have to be directed by the spiritually elevated saints who may be lame in the sense of the material facilities. Best of both worlds!

When little Dhruva, angered by his father’s neglect, went seeking for unprecedented wealth, he was looking only at that world, the material world and its promises. Fortunately for him both his mother and most importantly sage Narada helped him ‘see’ the other world. And when he finally did see the four-handed supreme lord Himself, he felt guilty and stupid for having asked something quite insignificant in comparison. Eventually Dhruva indeed got the best of both worlds; he understood what was truly more significant or ‘best’. When Vibheeshana left his powerful brother and king Ravana, he already knew that he was entering the best world and very soon he got the best of both worlds when he was crowned as the king of Sri Lanka upon the death Ravana.

Certainly the material world and its comforts are alluring and the path of bhakti that defines our inner world feels very challenging and tedious. But to choose one over the other may leave us in a lurch; confused and disoriented. There will surely be many dissuading us from taking our spiritual path seriously, screaming for attention and convincing us how the austere spiritual life is not worth it all. This reminds me of a beautiful song written saint Gopala Dasa who belongs to the Madhva sampradaya or tradition where he is addressing Goddess Lakshmi and asking her whatever made her marry Vasudeva or Lord Krishna!

Gopala Dasa, in a song using the poetic device called as ninda stuti, that employs mockery or sarcasm to glorify the Lord prays to mother Lakshmi as follows:

My dear mother Lakshmi, why did you marry Vasudeva? Knowingly you seem to have overlooked all his faults, as He assumes numerous forms!

Your personality is divine, with the fragrance of a lotus, delicate body and an enchanting face and He, Vasudeva assumes the form of a foul smelling fish (Lord Matsya) and a rough body of a boar (Lord Varaha)! Your form is so pleasing whereas He assumes extremely fearful form (Lord Narasimha). You generously give yourself to others whereas He begs for alms (Lord Vamana)!

O’ Mother Lakshmi, why did you marry Vasudeva?

You have an eternally blissful place to reside whereas He wanders in the forest (Lord Rama)! You are highly respected as the most chaste but He desires to enjoy with several women (Lord Krishna). Whosoever hears about Him doesn’t want to do anything with this material world, seeing His deity they give up all worldly wealth! Further, those who go to His abode don’t ever come back!

O’ Mother Lakshmi, why did you marry Vasudeva?

Your character is spotless and extremely courteous whereas He is very fond of fighting (Kalki, Parashurama) and has no clue of His parentage (Krishna). His relatives are all materially impoverished and yet He lays on a banyan leaf sucking His toe!

O’ Mother Lakshmi, why did you marry Vasudeva?

He does not depend on anything on anyone for His pleasure (atmarama). He needs neither sleep nor food nor has any permanent residence (He stays wherever devotees sing His glories)! By making a palatial abode for you in His heart, that magician has deceived you.

O’ Mother Lakshmi, why did you marry Vasudeva?

Lord, His abode, His devotees and everything in relationship with Him is the best world. Mother Lakshmi knows what is the best choice to make. She chooses the Lord despite all of His apparent ‘faults’. We on the other hand choose everything else but Him completely forgetting that best of both the worlds presented before us is a possibility only when we understand which among the two is really best. Now the huge Indian diaspora in other countries have taken shelter of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) founded by Srila Prabhupada and indeed they have got an opportunity to actually get the best of both worlds. All of us, for that matter, irrespective of where we live have the same opportunity.

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The following conversation between His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and some of his disciples took place in July 1975 on an early-morning walk in Chicago.

Srila Prabhupada: Where does Darwin begin?

Disciple: He begins in the ocean. He says that some fishlike animal climbed out of the ocean and began to breathe the air.

Srila Prabhupada: Then where did the ocean come from?

Disciple: He doesn’t say.

Srila Prabhupada: Then his theory is not perfect.

Disciple: Scientists say there was great turbulence on this planet in the beginning. The oceans were stirring, and then some lightning charges occurred.

Srila Prabhupada: From where did the lightning come? And from where did the ocean come? Where is his philosophy? It is a speculation.

Disciple: They say it all began from a primeval explosion.

Srila Prabhupada: Then I ask the same question: Wherefrom did the explosion come?

Disciple: They say that the explosion took place at time zero.

Srila Prabhupada: Time zero?

Disciple: Time began then, at time zero. And they say that the question “What was before that?” is not a logical, sensible question.

Srila Prabhupada: Why?

Disciple: They say it’s a question that should not even be asked.

Srila Prabhupada: No, then they are rascals. They are beginning from zero. How can you begin from zero?

Disciple: Everything comes from nothing then.

Srila Prabhupada: That is not philosophy.

Disciple: They say it all originates from a giant mass of primordial matter.

Srila Prabhupada: Then the same question arises: From where did the matter come?

Disciple: They say it’s an accident.

Srila Prabhupada: So that is rascaldom. Where is the accident? Nothing is accidental. Everything happens by cause and effect. The Bible says that in the beginning there was God, or the word of God. So God was there. That is the beginning. In our philosophy, too, that is the beginning. The Srimad- Bhagavatam gives evidence: janmady asya yatah [1.1.1] . . . aham evasam evagre [2.9.33]. And the Bhagavad-gita: aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [10.8]. This is our philosophy. Everything begins from God. Now you can ask, “From where did God come?” But that is God. God is existing. He is not caused by any other cause. He is the original cause. Anadir adir: He has no beginning, but He is the beginning of everything. This is the conception of God given in the statements of Brahma: anadir adir govindah [Brahma-samhita 5.1]. That adi is the original person, Govinda, Krishna. We find this in the Vedic history. Brahma is there in the beginning. He is a deva, one of the demigods the first demigod. Now Krishna says, aham adir hi devanam [Gita 10.2]: He is the cause of the demigods. He is the cause of Brahma also. So this is our philosophy. We don’t begin from zero or from an accident.

Disciple: Darwin never tried to understand the Vedic philosophy.

Srila Prabhupada: No, no, he admitted that he speculated. He is not a philosopher; he is a speculator. He has admitted: “It is my speculation. I think like this.”

Disciple: He started his speculation from the creation of life.

Srila Prabhupada: Anywhere, speculation is neither science nor philosophy.

Disciple: They call the Vedas speculation. They say the Upanishads are speculation.

Srila Prabhupada: No, no, no, not speculation. Sri Isopanishad [Mantra 1] says, isavasyam idam sarvam: everything is beginning from the isa, the supreme controller. Where is the speculation in the Vedas?

Disciple: They say the Vedas are written by man. Therefore they are imperfect.

Srila Prabhupada: What is your philosophy? It is written by man. What is the value of your philosophy? It is speculation. We don’t say that the Vedas are written by man. They come from a transcendental source. The words spoken by the Lord are called apauruseya, which indicates that they are not delivered by any mundane person. They may say whatever they like, but we don’t accept it. Suppose somebody says, “Your father’s name is so-and-so.” What is his authority to say what my father’s name is? I know very well, So their suggestion is like that: “Your father’s name is this.” Is that a very good suggestion? We can challenge: “You don’t know anything about my family. How can you say, ‘Your father’s name is this?’” Is it not rascaldom? You do not know anything about my family, and you say, “Your father’s name is this.” What is this logic?

Disciple: Darwin’s whole theory rests on the fact that he showed bones and archeological evidence.

Srila Prabhupada: Anyway, it is not possible that he has seen all the bones. So taking it that he has studied by seeing the bones, I can say very easily that it is not possible for a person like him to see all the bones. That is my challenge. He says, “Millions and millions of years ago . . .” But he lived for fifty years. How has he seen all the bones? He is a limited person.

Disciple: They admit they haven’t found all the bones, but they say that what they have found is conclusive evidence.

Srila Prabhupada: But they cannot say that. If you have seen all the bones, then you can conclude. But they say some of the bones are missing. Therefore their theory is always imperfect.

Disciple: Just this year they found a skull that was millions of years older than any human skull they found before.

Srila Prabhupada: That’s all right. But still they cannot say they have found all the skulls. They simply guess: “There is some gap of millions of years.”

Disciple: They even say that the missing link is the most important part.

Srila Prabhupada: So that is not science. Therefore we say they are rascals. And other rascals will believe them.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=24719

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13570244681?profile=RESIZE_584xA Glorious Departure: A Tribute to His Grace Paradhyeya Prabhu (ACBSP)

The Vaishnava community recently witnessed the transcendental departure of His Grace Paradhyeya Prabhu (ACBSP), who left his body yesterday May, 31 at 9:20 PM in Sacramento, California. A beloved and dedicated disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, His Grace Paradhyeya Prabhu’s life was a profound embodiment of unwavering devotion, humility, and selfless service.

A Life Dedicated to Srila Prabhupada’s Mission

His Grace Paradhyeya Prabhu was widely known as a humble and sincere devotee, exemplifying the essence of Vaishnava principles. Alongside his devoted wife, Her Grace Chaitanya Mataji, he made monumental contributions to Srila Prabhupada’s mission, playing an instrumental role in establishing 22 temples and 9 centers across diverse regions. Their tireless efforts spanned cities in India (including Guwahati, Madras, Bangalore, Trivandrum, Surat, and Patna) and international locations such as Bangkok, various parts of Africa, and numerous cities in the USA (including Long Island NY, Atlanta, New Talavan, Sacramento, and San Jose, California). This extensive service directly fulfilled Srila Prabhupada’s vision for global Krishna consciousness, transforming perceptions of ISKCON centers into welcoming “Hare Krishna temples” for all.

A Transcendental Departure

The final days of His Grace Paradhyeya Prabhu offered a profound demonstration of Vaishnava principles. For many years, he was bedridden, his verbal communication minimal, limited to “only the names, nothing else.” This profound internalization indicated a deep detachment from worldly affairs and an exclusive focus on the divine.

A striking detail of his departure was his decision to leave his body after seven days of not eating or drinking, mirroring the example of King Parikshit, who utilized a similar period for spiritual immersion. Even when speech was limited, his right hand continuously moved in a chanting position, revealing an unbroken internal connection with the Holy Name that transcended physical limitations. On the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami, he chanted “Ram, Ram,” a practice common for him despite his physical condition and apparent unawareness.

He “left his body surrounded by kirtan and chanting devotees,” a communal spiritual energy that facilitates a peaceful, Krishna-focused departure. His ability to respond only with “Hare Krishna or Ram” showcased an ultimate absorption in the Holy Name, aligning with the Bhagavad-gita’s emphasis on fixed consciousness at the time of death.

The Potency of the Holy Name: His Lifelong Shelter

His Grace Paradhyeya Prabhu’s life and departure powerfully demonstrated the all-encompassing potency of the Holy Name. Vaishnava philosophy teaches that the Holy Name is non-different from the Supreme Lord Himself, invested with all His transcendental energies. Chanting the Holy Name is glorified in scriptures for cleansing the heart, absolving sins, and providing liberation. For the current age of Kali, nama-sankirtana (congregational chanting) is the recommended spiritual practice, freeing the soul from material bondage and leading to the Lord’s shelter. His continuous chanting, even in severe physical debilitation, exemplified this truth, suggesting the Holy Name became his sole sustenance and reality.

His Grace Paradhyeya Prabhu’s life embodied the transcendental qualities of a pure devotee, as described in Vaishnava scriptures. His humility and sincerity resonated with the twenty-six qualities of a Vaishnava, such as being kind to everyone, peaceful, fixed in the Absolute Truth, and completely attached to Krishna. His extensive service in establishing temples and centers demonstrated his compassion and desire for the welfare of all. His quiet, internalized departure, despite his vast service, reflected his profound humility and lack of false ego.

The life and transcendental departure of His Grace Paradhyeya Prabhu offer invaluable spiritual lessons. His journey was a powerful testament to unwavering devotion, profound humility, and selfless service to Srila Prabhupada’s mission. His passing, marked by extraordinary absorption in the Holy Name and the serene environment of kirtan, stands as a vivid illustration of the Bhagavad-gita’s promise regarding consciousness at the moment of death. For a pure devotee, death is not a fearful end, but a joyful transition to the spiritual abode.

His enduring legacy, particularly the numerous temples and centers established with Her Grace Chaitanya Mataji, will continue to inspire generations of devotees worldwide. His Grace Paradhyeya Prabhu’s life and passing collectively offer profound spiritual lessons, reminding all of the ultimate goal of human life – to cultivate unalloyed devotion to the Supreme Lord and return home, back to Godhead. Further details of his inspiring life are anticipated in a forthcoming book.

Special Thanks

We extend our special thanks to His Grace Gunanarva Prabhu and his wife, Shyamshruti Devi Dasi, for their extensive support through the many years until Prabhu’s departure. They took Prabhu and Mataji into their home and served in a way that exemplifies Vaishnava qualities. We also acknowledge the dedicated devotees of Sacramento who were there offering their support.

Vasant Pañcamī Dās



Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=115853

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13570243683?profile=RESIZE_584x
The Vaishnava community recently witnessed the transcendental departure of His Grace Paradhyeya Prabhu (ACBSP), who left his body yesterday at 9:20 PM in Sacramento, California. A beloved and dedicated disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, His Grace Paradhyeya Prabhu’s life was a profound embodiment of unwavering devotion, humility, and selfless service.

A Life Dedicated to Srila Prabhupada’s Mission

His Grace Paradhyeya Prabhu was widely known as a humble and sincere devotee, exemplifying the essence of Vaishnava principles. Alongside his devoted wife, Her Grace Chaitanya Mataji, he made monumental contributions to Srila Prabhupada’s mission, playing an instrumental role in establishing 22 temples and 9 centers across diverse regions. Their tireless efforts spanned cities in India (including Guwahati, Madras, Bangalore, Trivandrum, Surat, and Patna) and international locations such as Bangkok, various parts of Africa, and numerous cities in the USA (including Long Island NY, Atlanta, New Talavan, Sacramento, and San Jose, California). This extensive service directly fulfilled Srila Prabhupada’s vision for global Krishna consciousness, transforming perceptions of ISKCON centers into welcoming “Hare Krishna temples” for all.

A Transcendental Departure

The final days of His Grace Paradhyeya Prabhu offered a profound demonstration of Vaishnava principles. For many years, he was bedridden, his verbal communication minimal, limited to “only the names, nothing else.” This profound internalization indicated a deep detachment from worldly affairs and an exclusive focus on the divine.

A striking detail of his departure was his decision to leave his body after seven days of not eating or drinking, mirroring the example of King Pariksit, who utilized a similar period for spiritual immersion. Even when speech was limited, his right hand continuously moved in a chanting position, revealing an unbroken internal connection with the Holy Name that transcended physical limitations. On the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami, he chanted “Ram, Ram,” a practice common for him despite his physical condition and apparent unawareness.

He “left his body surrounded by kirtan and chanting devotees,” a communal spiritual energy that facilitates a peaceful, Krishna-focused departure. His ability to respond only with “Hare Krishna or Ram” showcased an ultimate absorption in the Holy Name, aligning with the Bhagavad-gita’s emphasis on fixed consciousness at the time of death.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/a-glorious-departure-a-tribute-to-his-grace-paradhyeya-prabhu-acbsp/

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Mahaprasad Govinda Das, a UK-based devotee with an Ethiopian origin, recently visited Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, where he donated 46 copies of Srila Prabhupada’s books—translated into Amharic—to one of Africa’s largest libraries.

Accompanied by his son, Sandipani Muni Das, Mahaprasad presented the books to the Abrehot Library, a world-class facility with over 1.4 million books housed in more than 19,000 square meters. The library’s director, Mr. Muluken Tariku, warmly received the generous donation and presented the devotees with a certificate.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/srila-prabhupadas-books-in-amharic-received-by-landmark-library-in-ethiopia/

 

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As devotees, we talk a lot about getting free from the material energy, free from the influence of maya, free from our attachments to material sense pleasures and their objects.

Why do we want to do that? What would be the reason?

Sometimes it can be confusing. It may seem like we’re taking all this too seriously, when really it’s all Krishna’s creation and life in this world can have so many pleasures to offer us.

Here is an example that perhaps will illustrate the reasons.

Suppose you are in a relationship with someone. You think you love them, and they love you. You have all kinds of hopes and dreams about all the things you will do together. They seem to be so wonderful, and they tell you all kinds of things that you will do together, and ways you will be happy and enjoy your love together.

You are very pleased by all this, it seems very amazing. You begin to imagine all these ways things will be, and you become very attached to all of it. You make plans, you invest energy, you change your life around being with them.

After some time, it starts to become obvious to you that there are some “flaws” in the situation. Well, maybe the person that says they love you starts lying to you. Then they start cheating, and being involved with others. You’re very attached to them, and all of the things you’d hoped for, so you go on, trying to overlook it. Maybe they say they are sorry, and they make new promises. “I will never lie to you again” they say. “I will never hurt you or cheat you again” they say.

So, you continue on, investing your energy, your love, your time, your faith. You believe in the things they tell you. You believe in your future with them. You think to yourself “well maybe I am not so happy right now, but I soon will be”…. or “someday I will be”.

One day, you realize that your suffering has become very great, and you life seems dark, empty. You feel lonely inside. All the hope you once had seems drained. All the efforts you’ve been making seem to change nothing. Still the lies, still the cheating, still the empty promises.

Finally, something happens that changes everything. You meet someone who is different. This person, there is something radiant about them. You feel a strong attraction to everything about them. When you see them, you feel happy, light. The sun starts to shine again in your world. You suddenly notice there is a moon, and you spend hours gazing at it. Everything seems alive and full of wonder and beauty.

All of this happens when you even just think of this new person… so you start thinking of them more and more. The more you think of this new person, the less all the pain the other person is inflicting on you seems to matter.

Suddenly, you don’t care so much when they lie to you. Somehow, when they cheat, it does not seem to hurt you so deeply. When they yell and scream and try to argue with you and make you upset, you find that all you have to do is think of your new love, this person you have discovered, and are not so affected by their rages and torrents of fury.

Pretty soon, you are spending time with your new love, you can’t wait to see them, to be with them. Everything about them is just so exciting and wonderful to you. They are kind to you, loving, caring. They don’t lie, they don’t cheat, they don’t fly into rages and mistreat you.

But… you still don’t know…. it seems pretty drastic to think of just walking out of the relationship you’ve been in. There is some security there, you have all these plans you’ve made. There are all these “things” and “people” connected to you and your life with them. Well, you would have to give it all up to be with your new love.

The more you think about your new love, the more time you spend with your new love, the less these “things” seem to matter. They all start to seem gray, dull, lifeless. You don’t resent the old person anymore. They don’t even have the power to upset you. All the promises and hopes start to pale in comparison to the new beauty you have found from the relationship you are having with your new love.

Finally, nothing matters anymore at all. You don’t care if you lose everything. You don’t care if the rest of the world hates you. All the plans and dreams and promises have lost their meaning entirely. The person you had been with showers you with expensive gifts, and they have no allure. They offer you everything you had ever wanted, and you find that you no longer want a single bit of it. Not one thing they offer means a single thing to you any longer. All you want in the whole world is just to be with your new love. You have become free from the bondage of the old relationship.

That new love is Krishna. : )

(you knew I was going to say that didn’t you ;)

We are all longing for Krishna. All the things in this world will only give us temporary pleasure and happiness. All the while, we will be lied to, cheated, and punished. That’s really what’s happening. The material world is a lie. It’s a false dream of happiness. It keeps us from our real love with promises of things it will never deliver, and lies about the nature of our relationship with it.

When we start seeing Krishna, thinking of Krishna, spending time with Krishna, the material world starts to lose it’s power over us. All the things it has to offer begin to pale and have less meaning. The become much less valuable.

We have found our one and only true love.

We start to feel the real happiness and beauty and love that Krishna has to offer. Krishna doesn’t lie or cheat or mistreat us. We only feel happiness when we are with Him. This is our eternal relationship. This is what we are all seeking after, we have just forgotten where to find it.

Now we know. We know Krishna. Even just thinking of Krishna makes us feel happy, what to speak of being with Him. That is real freedom from the bondage of the material world, and real (and lasting) happiness is the result.

Hare Krishna : )
——————

 

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=14352

 

 

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From Back to Godhead

An answer to the question: 
"Why is a good Christian like you worshiping a Hindu god?"

People often ask me why I changed my faith from Christianity to worship of Krsna. They ask what made me give up Christianity. I am always quick to answer that I never "gave up" Christianity. The principal instruction Jesus gave was to love God, and I believe I can best do that by worshiping and serving Krsna.

What is it that makes Krsna more attractive or meaningful to me than the God of the Bible? Well, first of all, as a devotee of Krsna I believe in only one God. and He is the same Supreme Person whether He appears in the Vedic scriptures of India or the Bible of the West, although He may be known by different names. So by worshiping Krsna I don't reject the God of the Bible: I simply get to know Him from a different perspective.

The Vedas teach that God appears many times in this world in different places and different ages. Each time He comes for the same reason: to reveal Himself to His lost children and to lead them back onto the right path.

When Krsna came into this world five thousand years ago, in northern India, He showed the symptoms of God Himself. Krsna performed many supernatural feats and displayed many facets of His character, but He is best remembered for His childhood, as the darling son of Yasoda, playing in the forest of Vrndavana with His friends.

I sometimes hear, "How can God be a cowherd boy playing in the forest?" But why not? Why should He be an old man in the clouds, as He is so often depicted in Western religious art. Can't He be an innocent and playful child?

In fact, isn't it logical to suppose that God, being eternal, without beginning or end, never gets old.

Of course, we have to get old, because we are bound by the laws of birth and death. But not Krsna He is the one who made the laws, and He is not bound by them. When Krsna was on earth, He never appeared to age beyond youth, although he lived here for 125 years.

Krsna played in the forest as a child, surrounded by His devoted childhood friends. But He was not an ordinary child, and they were not ordinary friends. The Vedic scriptures say that only after many lifetimes of pious acts did those souls get a chance to play with Krsna as children.

Once, Krsna's friends complained to His mother that He had been eating clay. Krsna denied the story, and so His mother asked Him to open His mouth. When Krsna obeyed, Yasoda saw the entire creation within it She saw the elements of earth, water, fire, and air, as well as all living creatures and the rest of creation. She even saw herself with her son on her lap.

Seeing all these things, she became bewildered and confused and began to wonder who she really was and if Krsna were actually her child. But then Krsna, feeling sorry for her, closed His mouth, and she once more became overwhelmed with love for her beautiful son and forgot what she had seen. Yasoda took Krsna on her lap and began to feed Him just like an ordinary boy, convinced through love that He was actually her son and was dependent upon her for protection.

Who can fail to be attracted by the wonderful stories of Krsna? Indeed, the name Krsna means "all-attractive." He attracts everyone to Him, and He is easy to love. Later, when Krsna spoke the famous Bhagavad-gita, the essence of the Vedic scriptures. He made a special promise: anyone who becomes His devotee, surrendering his life fully to Him as His servant, will always be protected by Him. "Do not fear." Krsna said. "I will free you from all your sins, and you will come to live with Me eternally."

Source: https://www.backtogodhead.in/what-attracts-me-to-krsna-by-ranacora-dasa/

http://www.dandavats.com/?p=29717

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The Time of Death by Damodara Dasa

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From Back to Godhead

I offer my most respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, my spiritual master and the spiritual master of the universe, from whose lotus lips has sprung the eternal message of the Vedas in the purest line of disciplic succession from Sri Krsna, the Absolute Truth, through Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja. He is spreading the teachings of Krsna consciousness around the planet for the benefit of all living entities, and just by his kindness so many of his faithful disciples are being delivered from the clutches of impending death. Please allow me to address myself to this subject. The death of the body is an inevitable fact for each one of us, so let us find out what the Vedic literature says about this.

The final purport of the Vedas is stated by the Supreme Lord Krsna in Bhagavad-gita: “Just surrender unto Me.” (Bg. 18.66) But surrender is made difficult by our attachment to the gross and subtle bodily coverings of the soul. We must control the various senses and gradually extract ourselves from the predicament of material life. In Bhagavad-gita the Lord states: “O mighty-armed son of Kunti, it is undoubtedly difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by constant practice and detachment.” (Bg. 6.35) For the yogi this practice is most severely tested at the time of death. The Supreme Personality of Godhead says, “Anyone who quits his body, at the end of life, remembering Me, attains immediately to My nature; and there is no doubt of this.” (Bg. 8.5)

For example, the Vedic literature cites the case of Ajamila. Ajamila, who had been born into a good brahmana family, fell into bad association after having seen a man and a woman embracing on a public road. His lust drew him into worse and worse circumstances, and finally, sick and wretched, he found himself dying and went to the house of the prostitute he was currently favoring. She threw him out mercilessly, seeing his abject state. He had no one present to help him, and so his thoughts turned to his son, and as he fell down to die, he called out his son’s name, Narayana. Now, it so happens that Narayana is a name of God, indicating Krsna’s four-armed form. So just by the potency of the sound vibration of the name of God, uttered even in this indirect manner by the dying Ajamila, he was not taken away by the constables of the lord of death, Yamaraja, who were waiting for him, but instead was transported to the realm of Vaikuntha, the abode of Lord Narayana. On the other hand, Bharata Maharaja, although advanced in spiritual understanding, thought of a stag at the time of his sudden death, and he became a stag in his next birth (although an extraordinary stag who could remember his previous life’s activities).

Everyone, from the smallest germ, known as indra-gopa, up to Lord Indra, the King of heaven, is subject to the stringent laws of material nature. We are attempting to win over these laws, but in fact we are simply becoming more and more entangled in illusion’s complexities. Even Lord Indra himself was once subject to the influence of the deluding potency. Indra once became captivated by the superior facilities for sense gratification available on his heavenly planet, and therefore when his spiritual master, Brhaspati, the guru of the demigods, scolded him, Indra acted offensively toward him. Brhaspati then decided to teach his student a lesson. He cursed him to take birth on a lower planet as a pig. Sloshing around in mud and stool, Lord Indra as a pig felt that he was enjoying life very much. He thought to himself, “I am very fortunate. Here I have my nice sow for sex life, so many nice piglets, and the farmer serves me daily with a nice big bucket of stools to eat. How lucky I am!” Meanwhile the upper planets fell into confusion in Lord Indra’s absence, and Lord Brahma flew down to Indra’s farmyard on his swan to bring the King of heaven back to his post. But Indra would not leave: “I am very happy here, thank you.” So, with controlled intelligence, Lord Brahma took his sword end killed the sow and piglets. “No! No! What are you doing?” cried Indra. “My beautiful wife and children! You have mercilessly killed them!” Brahma then reminded Lord Indra that his death was going to come next anyway; at that very moment the farmer was sharpening his knife for the kill. The king of heaven was shocked into awareness, and he gladly returned to his duty as administrative head of the demigods.

The death of the body is approaching for all of us. But Lord Krsna begins Bhagavad-gita by teaching that we are not the material body, but pure spirit soul. After confirming the eternal character of the individual soul (Bg. 2.12), the Lord says: “As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth and then to old age, similarly the soul also passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.” (Bg. 2.13)

Later in the Gita, the Supreme Personality of Godhead elaborates on this: ”From the highest planet in the material world, down to the lowest, all are places of misery where repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kunti, never takes birth again.” (Bg. 8.16)

Why should we go to Krsna’s abode? We should go there because that is our natural home. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita, this material world is a foreign place for us, for the soul is made of the same spiritual energy as Krsna is, and he belongs in the spiritual sky. Therefore, in order to enter into the abode of Sri Krsna, we must be delivered from the womb of material nature. We have been impregnated into this womb by Krsna because we desire to lord it over dead matter. This is confirmed inBhagavad-gita: “The total material substance, called Brahma, is the source of birth, and in that Brahma do I create pregnancy. Thus come the possibilities for the births of all living beings. It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunti, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.” (Bg. 14.3-4) After the living entities, or jivas, are injected into maya, they lie dormant for some time. Since the living entities come into material existence due to envy of Krsna, it can be said that they are in a state of spiritual death. Spiritual death means to forget that one is spirit. The conditioned living entities come into the material world due to a desire to identify with the deluding energy. Therefore they lie dormant in this state of spiritual death. Then, after some time, “those jivas who had lain dormant during the cataclysm are awakened.” (Brahma-samhita 5.20)

But it must be admitted that this awakening is itself illusory, since we are still within the womb; we have not actually been born yet. Nor are we awake. Sukadeva Gosvami says in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, “The conditioned souls hover in a dream of heavenly illusory pleasures, but actually they do not relish any tangible happiness in this way.” (Bhag. 2.2.2)

What is needed is known as dvija, or second birth. This second birth occurs when we are initiated by a bona fide spiritual master. He can deliver us from illusion just by his causeless mercy. After this kind of birth, there is no death any more just eternal, blissful life in Krsna consciousness.

The great saints and spiritual masters can give us advice on the proper method of passing out of this present body. One illustrative account is found in Srimad-Bhagavatam First Canto, Thirteenth Chapter. The gist of the narrative is as follows.

In the course of losing the Battle of Kuruksetra, King Dhrtarastra’s one hundred sons, led by Duryodhana, had all been killed and so the aged father was living in the palace of the victor, king Yudhisthira. Yudhisthira was very kind to his former enemy, and, according to the Vedic custom, he allowed him all the privileges of a member of his family, regularly paying his respects to the elderly king every morning. Dhrtarastra, who had been blind throughout his life, was thus living in Yudhisthira’s palace in peace and friendliness, along with his wife Gandhari.

This placid domestic scene was not to continue for long, however. Dhrtarastra’s brother Vidura, who had left Duryodhana’s palace just before the great battle, now at last returned from a long pilgrimage to holy cities and temples. He had sat at the feet of his spiritual master, Maitreya Muni, and thereby received the gracious gift of absolute knowledge. Vidura was not an ordinary human being. Actually he was a demigod, Yamaraja, the lord of death, who had taken birth on this planet as the result of being cursed by the sage Mandavya Muni. So Vidura was particularly qualified to ascertain the flaws in his aged brother’s present way of life.

Vidura’s arrival at the court of Yudhistthira was filled with gaiety. For the members of the royal family, it was like regaining consciousness after a long period. They had been distressed by Vidura’s absence, and now they all offered their most respectful obeisances to the great saint and embraced him heartily, crying affectionately due to their long separation. King Yudhisthira arranged for a nice place for Vidura to sit, and a festive reception was offered, with sumptuous foodstuffs for the brother of Dhrtarastra. After taking sufficient rest, Vidura was given a comfortable seat, and, after paying his respects, King Yudhisthira asked him about Lord Krsna and the Lord’s immediate relatives, the Yadus.

Now, it so happened that the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna had brought His earthly pastimes to a close, and He and His relatives had departed for the spiritual sky. But Vidura did not disclose this unbearable news to the assembled devotees. They were to find out soon enough just by the laws of nature, and Vidura did not want to hasten their inevitable distress. Instead he turned to Dhrtarastra and addressed his remarks to him directly:

“My dear King, please get out of here immediately. Do not delay. Just see how fear has overtaken you. This frightful situation cannot be remedied by any person in this material world. My lord, it is the Supreme Personality of Godhead as eternal time that has approached us all. Whoever is under the influence of supreme eternal time must surrender his most dear life, and what to speak of other things, such as wealth, honor, children, land, home, etc.

“Your father, brother, well-wishers and sons are all dead and passed away. You yourself have expended the major portion of your life. Your body is now overtaken by invalidity, and you are living in the home of another. You have been blind from your very birth, and recently you have become hard of hearing. Your memory is shortened, and your intelligence is disturbed. Your teeth are loose, your liver is defective, and you are coughing up mucus.

“Alas, how powerful are the hopes of a living being to continue his life. Verily, you are living just like a household dog and are eating the remnants of food given by Bhima. There is no need to live a degraded life and subsist on the charity of those whom you tried to kill by arson and poisoning. You also insulted one of their wives and usurped their kingdom and wealth. Despite your unwillingness to die and your desire to live even at the cost of honor and prestige, your miserly body will certainly dwindle and deteriorate like an old garment.

“He is called undisturbed who goes to an unknown, remote place, and freed from all obligations, quits his material body when it has become useless. He is certainly a first-class man who awakens and understands, either by himself or from others, the falsity and misery of this material world and thus leaves home and depends fully on the Supreme Personality of Godhead residing within his heart.

“Please, therefore, leave for the North immediately, without letting your relatives know, for soon that time will approach which will diminish the good qualities of men.” (Bhag. 1.13.18-28)

Because Vidura spoke the truth from the platform of direct realization, Dhrtarastra followed his brother’s advice, and he and his wife both left at once for the Himalayas and took up yoga practice under Vidura’s guidance in order to purify their consciousness so that they could be liberated from the attachments of material life. After perfecting their austerities, they voluntarily accepted death in the fire of mystic yoga. The yoga which they performed, however, was not sufficient for attaining the highest knowledge. Mere liberation is not sought after by pure devotees of Krsna. It is not such a great achievement. Even the most demonic of all living entities, Hiranyakasipu, was also liberated at his death, simply because he was killed by the Personality of Godhead in His form as Nrsimhadeva. Such is the grace of Krsna that He awards salvation even to the lowest of the low, if, through their atheistic activities, they are so corrupt as to necessitate their being annihilated by God Himself.

Mere impersonal salvation is not considered worthwhile because it is temporary. Thus it is on the same level as religion, economic development and sense gratification. Only pure devotional service of God can render the living entity completely free from birth, death, disease and old age. Sukadeva Gosvami says in Srimad-Bhagavatam, “For those who are wandering in the material universe, there is no more auspicious means of deliverance than what is aimed at in the direct devotional service of Lord Krsna.” (Bhag. 2.2.33) His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada writes in his purport to this verse, “Srila Sridhara Svami and all other acaryas, like Jiva Gosvami, etc., agree that bhakti-yoga is not only easy, simple, natural and free from trouble, but that it is the only source of happiness for the human being.”

Commenting on the kind of yoga practiced by Dhrtarastra, His Divine Grace writes: “In olden days such practice was very common for the transcendentalist for the mode of life and character in those days were favorable. But in modern days, when the influence of the age of Kali is so disturbing, practically everyone is untrained in this art of bodily exercise. Concentration of the mind is more easily attained in these days by the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. The results are more effective than those derived from the inner exercise of the life air.” (Bhag. 2.2.19, purport)

So here is a hint for all of us not to be dissuaded from attempting for spiritual emancipation. The human form of life is given to us as a chance to surpass the hurdle of birth and death. How, then, can we transcend the material nature at the time of death? Let us take the example of King Pariksit.

King Pariksit had offended a sage, Samika Muni, and the son of that holy man had subsequently cursed the King to be killed in seven days by the bite of a snake-bird. Having been informed of this by the Muni, the King was in the unique position of knowing exactly when he would die, and therefore he immediately prepared for death. He accepted the news of his death as “well and good for its being the cause of his indifference toward worldly attachments.” (Bhag. 1.19.4) He left his palace and sat down tightly on the bank of the most holy Yamuna River, observed fasting, and simply depended on Lord Krsna. As he sat there, the most auspicious saints and mystics arrived on the scene; they could foretell what was going to happen. The demigods, seeing the great assemblage, scattered flowers over the earth. Then at last, Sukadeva Gosvami arrived, and he took the most exalted seat as the chief guest of Pariksit. He is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam as “surrounded by saintly sages, demigods, and kings, just as the moon is surrounded by stars, heavenly bodies, and planets in the sky. He was gorgeously represented in that manner, and factually he was also respected by all of them.” (Bhag. 1.19.31)

The King then put a question to Sukadeva Gosvami: “You are the spiritual master of great saints and devotees. I therefore beg to inquire from you the way of perfection for all persons, and especially for one who is just about to die.” (Bhag. 1.19.37)

Sukadeva answered: “The highest perfection of human life, achieved either by complete knowledge of matter and spirit, by practice of mystic powers, or by perfect discharge of occupational duty, is to remember the Personality of Godhead at the end of life.” (Bhag. 2.1.6) “Those who drink through aural reception, fully filled with the nectarean message of Lord Krsna, the beloved of the devotees, purify the polluted aim of life known as material enjoyment and thus go back to Godhead, to the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead.” (Bhag. 2.2.37) In the remainder of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sukadeva Gosvami tells the King about Sri Krsna, His energies, His opulences and His activities; and just by hearing this transcendental sound vibration, the King was transferred to the spiritual sky at his death.

Here is the conclusion of the Vedas. The first principle of spiritual life is hearing, and Sukadeva Gosvami assures that this is the most important factor at death. The hearing must be submissive. One should not hear in a challenging spirit. In Bhagavad-gita,Lord Krsna tells Arjuna: “Because you are never envious of Me, O Arjuna, I shall give you this most secret wisdom, knowing which you will be relieved from the miseries of material existence.” (Bg. 9.1) Elsewhere the Lord says, “That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend; therefore, you can understand the transcendental mystery of this science.” (Bg. 4.3)

Our attitude towards Krsna and the spiritual master must not be envious, but favorable and devotional. Lord Caitanya prays, “In such a humble state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.” (Siksastakam 3) In the Gita the Lord tells us how to act in relationship with the spiritual master: “inquire from him submissively and render service unto him.” (Bg. 4.34)

So, with this in mind, let US hear something of that supreme destination, the goal of the bhakti-yogis, described nicely by Srila Prabhupada in Bhagavad-gita:

“The supreme abode of the Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is described in the Brahma-samhita as the cintamani dhama. That abode of Lord Krsna, known as Goloka Vrndavana, is full of palaces made of touchstone. There the trees are called desire trees, and the cows are called surabhi, and the Lord is served by hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune. He is Govinda, the primal Lord and the cause of all causes. There the Lord plays His flute; His eyes are like lotus petals, and the color of llis body is like a beautiful cloud. On His head is a peacock feather. So attractive is He that He excels thousands of Cupids.” (Bg. 8.21, purport)

The real meaning of eternal deathlessness is to perform devotional service for the eternal Supreme Lord, and therefore pure devotees do not even desire to attain to the Lord’s eternal abode, Krsnaloka, as just described. Lord Caitanya prays, “O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor have I any desire to enjoy beautiful women, nor do I want any number of followers. What I want only is that I may have Your causeless devotional service in my life birth after birth.” (Siksastakam 4) Similarly the great acarya of modern times Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur, offering a poem on the death of a great devotee, says:

He reasons ill who says that Vaisnavas die
When thou art living still in sound.
The Vaisnavas die to live and living try
To spread the holy life around.

Devotional service to Krsna is eternal and cannot die. So the devotees pray, “Whether I attain to Vaikuntha, the spiritual sky, or whether You wish to send me to hell, whatever You desire is all right. I simply pray to always remember You.” Therefore when the Lord grants devotional service, it means that deathlessness is assured. When a devotee takes up Krsna consciousness seriously he becomes very dear to Krsna, and although the devotee may not desire it, his going back to Krsnaloka is assured.

We urge our readers to consider these topics seriously and with all reason and cool logic. Srila Prabhupada has said that actually our desire to live eternally is indirect evidence that we are actually eternal by nature. These propositions on how one can go beyond death by performance of devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead are not mere word jugglery. Death is not the most wonderful thing; it is life that is most wonderful, and Krsna consciousness is real life. Death can be conquered. Krsna promises that this freedom from death can most assuredly be attained by His devotees. By becoming purified through hearing of the Lord from the spiritual master and by chanting the holy name of God, the devotees learn to take everything as the mercy of God, and thus they become eager to serve Him. That change from material consciousness to God consciousness makes one eligible to enter the kingdom of God for eternal blissful life.

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32 Ways to Not Chant Japa

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Japa is the name of the mediation a Krishna devotee does while using beads. A string of beads has 108 beads on it and the complete Hare Krishna mantra (link to our webpage here) is chanted on each bead. When you complete 108 beads you have done 1 round, which usually takes about 7 minutes. Devotees who have taken first level vows chant 16 rounds or more every day. That is 108×16 = 1726 mantras each day. If done properly this is a powerful meditation that purifies the heart and mind, and awakens love for Krishna. Mostly we don’t chant properly and therein lies the problem. Mahatma Prabhu offers a pointed and humorous reminder to help us do better.

From The Japa Workshop by Mahatma das

1. To Do List Japa – Meditating on your to do and shopping lists, sometimes adding and deleting items between mantras. This may also include mentally balancing your checkbook or mentally going over which bills you have to pay. Caution: This process can cause you to lament about how many bills you have to pay, and thus changing your prayers from “Oh Lord, please engage me in your service,” to “Oh Lord, please add a few more zeroes to the end of my bank balance.”

2. I Hate Him Japa – While chanting, meditating on who hurt you, how badly you were hurt, how much you hate that person, and what you’ll do to get back at him. By the end of 16 rounds your hatred has increased tenfold and you have developed excellent plans and strategies to take revenge.

3. I am Right Japa – Meditating while chanting on how right you are and how wrong someone else is, and with every mantra you become more convinced how right you are. Also know as “Pump Your Ego Japa. ”

4. Watering the Weeds Japa – Chanting so poorly that by the time you finish you feel disgusted, depressed and miserable. Gone are the days of “Chant and Be Happy.” Now it is, “Chant and Be Miserable.”

5. Beat the Clock Japa – You chant as fast as possible in an attempt to get those bothersome rounds over with, sometimes trying to break your previous record of one round in 3 minutes 59 seconds – which was formerly thought to be humanly impossible – until you proved it could be done if one is intensely motivated to get his chanting over with as soon as possible!

6. Robot Japa – You chant like a robot. Chanting while totally disconnected from the mood of the mantra. You sometimes wish another devotee or a robot could chant your rounds for you.

7. Firing Blank Mantras Japa – Krsna’s name is chanted, but your mind and heart are somewhere else – and so is He. The sound Krsna comes out of your mouth, but because there is no consciousness, it is like firing blank mantras.

8. Killing Time Japa – Chanting, but thinking of things to entertain yourself with while you chant so you won’t be so bored just listening to the mantra. In this way you kill time while chanting and thus make chanting 16 rounds quite tolerable by making it much less painful than usual.

9. Creative Japa – Using japa as a time for brainstorming, thus doing some creative thinking, generating new ideas, and finding solutions to your problems. It is useful to have a pen and paper handy to write down your ideas. Although you may get very few rounds done, and you won’t get the nectar of the name – you have spent the past two hours in a such a high degree of passion that you will definitely have a long list of good ideas. (But is it really a good idea to ruin your japa to get some good ideas?)

10. Novocain Japa – Your heart is so numbed that you feel absolutely nothing when you chant.

11. Driving Japa – Chanting while distracted by the task of driving, sometimes accompanied by cursing at people who cut you off (i.e. the anti-trnad api sunicena mantra). Of course, the reason you chant while driving is that you get up late.

12. No Japa, Japa – While holding your beads you converse with another devotee, moving your beads as you talk. In this way you sometimes finish a so-called round or two by the end of the conversation. (Oh God, help us!)

13. Prajalpa Japa – You chant a few mantras and then speak a few words of prajalpa (gossip) to your friend. You chant a few more mantras and then listen as they speak some prajalpa to you. Then you respond with some even more juicy gossip. This process often continues for the entire japa session.

14. Call and Response Japa – You talk to someone, and while listening to you they chant japa. Then they reply and while listening to them you chant japa.

15. Reading Japa – Reading and chanting at the same time. (Note: This would not be a problem if you had two or more heads.)

16. Left Hand Japa – Chanting japa while doing something with your left hand (cleaning, cooking, tinkering, organizing, washing your car, etc.). This is very useful for developing left arm strength.

17. Bubblegum Japa – Chanting in a way that sounds like you are chewing bubble gum while chanting Hare Krsna.

18. New Mantra Japa – Chanting a new form of the Hare Krsna mantra, such as “here kitty, kitty, here kitty, kitty,” or “nish, nish, ram, ram, ari, ari.”

19. Entertainment Japa – Chanting while watching TV or a movie. Note: watching TV while not chanting, but chanting during the commercials is also no good! (And, Krsna conscious video is also included in TV Japa.)

20. Internet Japa – A few mantras and a few emails, sometimes chanting and reading at the same time. Inevitably, the beads get put on the table and the right hand lands on the keyboard.

21. Window Shopping Japa – Chanting while window shopping (this commonly happens when making the attempt to knock out some rounds while in the shopping mall).

22. Boredom Japa – You are so bored while chanting that you feel like killing yourself.

23. Relaxing Japa – Lying down or relaxing in a hammock while chanting (often accompanied by coconut water in your left hand).

24. Slumber Japa – Taking advantage of japa to get a good nap. Another variety of “Slumber Japa” is trying to fight off sleep, but continually failing. This is also known as “Dive Bomb Japa” due to the head constantly rising and falling (diving).

25. Bitter Medicine Japa – Your experience of the holy name is like bitter medicine and your face turns in disgust as you chant.

26. Painful Japa – Your mind is so out of control that it is painful to try to control it. Thus, the expression on your face while chanting appears similar to the expression of a person with a knife in their back (or a person with severe constipation).

27. Shaking Japa – (Also known as “Ants in Your Pants Japa”) – You chant as if you were a toy monkey that was just wound up.

28. Radar Japa – Looking around at anything and everything – and everybody – while chanting.

29. Audio Japa – Chanting japa while listening to a lecture, kirtan, song, or the radio. This is especially challenging while listening to the radio (unless, of course, it is one of your favorite songs or some juicy news).

30. Sightseeing Japa – Walking or driving and chanting while doing some serious sightseeing.

31. Shopping Japa – Nish, nish, ram, ram, ari, ari-ing your way through the supermarket or mall.

32. Apathy Japa – Chanting with absolutely no desire or enthusiasm to chant.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31292

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13569726684?profile=RESIZE_584xAishwarya Kallakuri, a 14-year-old ISKCON devotee from Charlotte, North Carolina, was among the final four candidates for the highly competitive national event. This is her second year participating in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which is celebrating its 100th edition this year.

According to a profile, “This eighth grader distributes yoga and philosophy books for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Her profound interest in learning new languages took her on trips to India, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. With dreams of pursuing a career in psychology and neurology, Aishwarya hopes to give back to the spelling community that has shaped her journey.”  She attends Valor Preparatory Academy in Concord, NC.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/hare-krishna-teen-among-final-four-at-us-national-spelling-bee/

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In the lives of great persons there is always opposition and apparent road blocks in accomplishing their goals or mission in life. Whether through another person, an accident, their own body or mind, or some natural disturbance, what appears on the surface to be an impediment is passed through and the glory of the person is revealed.

Practically we can see that great success in any undertaking or field is not accomplished without passing through many setbacks and even failure. In the personal growth or success literature such perseverance and determination in the face of what seem insurmountable odds are part of any great person’s story.

In Christianity we have Judas who betrayed Christ but was actually a facilitator of his mission to sacrifice his life to benefit others. Haridas Thakur being whipped in 21 market places, or being tempted by a prostitute sent by a envious person, only added to his glory as the great teacher of the holy name.

Without the atrocities of Hiranyakashipu, Prahlad’s glories would not have been revealed, and we would have never heard of him. Dhruva Maharaja’s step mother forbidding him to be favored by his father helped him realize the strength of his determination and his eventual favor by the Lord. What would have happened if Krishnadas Kaviraja, the author of Chaitanya Charitamrita, had not left his brother’s home? Without the devastating rains sent be Indra, Krishna would have had no necessity to lift Govardhan Hill.

Imagine Prabhupada easily receiving his first visa and other papers for travel, or if instead of sailing on the Jaladuta he would have just hopped on a plane and was met with instant success in America. We glorify great persons not for the ease of their lives but because of the great odds they overcame. Without Arjuna’s dilemma, or dark night of the soul, there would be no Bhagavad Gita to light our path out of darkness. Had Emperor Pariksit not been cursed to die, we would have no Shrimad Bhagavatam to lead us on the path of bhakti…and on and on, as the examples are many in scriptures, biographies, and life….

Keeping this in mind we can look at our own lives and see reverses and difficulties as opportunities for personal growth and dependence on the Lord. On one level they are our karma which we are meant to go through, and we can take personal responsibility for the challenges we need to face. On a spiritual level we can know that our difficulties and suffering are actually minimized by the Lord, and not merely punishment but mercy to show us the naked form of material nature with the potential to help us be stronger in our devotional resolve. What is our alternative?

We can be angry or humbled in a helpless condition and understand that by our attitude we can choose how we want to label anything. Is it a lamentable calamity or great opportunity? Is it good or bad? Praying to apply Shri Chaitanya’s 3rd verse of Shikshastakam we can practice forbearance in the face of provocation, humility and patience on our spiritual quest, and become appreciators of the good we find in life and in others, realizing that seeking external glory from others is superficial and impermanent. Our devotion, love, and service attitude is our real reward and that which carries us upward, in spite of our shortcomings.

That we are imperfect practitioners of bhakti is a given. Get over it! We are where we are on the path of pure devotion, but we are on the path! Within ourselves there isn’t only darkness but much light as well. The question is, which do you want to highlight and focus on and let define you? That will determine your state of mind and happiness or depression. I am not speaking of complacency but a positive focus that helps you live day by day, wanting and praying to spiritually advance, and which is also encouraging to others.

No one wants to be around a sourpuss (within or without), so we all have to practice being the best person we can, and praying to increase our good qualities and devotion. Most of us have had difficult pasts and many bad days, but let us not be pulled down by that, but use it as a springboard to rise up spiritually. Read inspiring books; listen to uplifting talks; seek positive and encouraging association. Don’t settle for misery and mediocrity.

May we all pray to change our angle of vision to one that always supports our progressive path and is helpful to others! This can be challenging at times and yet it is our journey to wholeness and spiritual positivity. What is the alternative? This attitude of finding the gems in misfortune has never been more evident in my life than in still facing cancer, which I consider Krishna’s loving embrace. It has fueled my writing, and speaking around the country. Most importantly, it has given me a new life to make my mission to give what I have been blessed with.

I still struggle to move out of my comfort zone of complacency, so in a sense my dark night of the soul isn’t from the cancer journey itself, but that I so easily forget my initial enthusiasm which fostered so much inspired writing and speaking. I can effortlessly find myself gravitating to the easy and comfortable, which can be rather depressing. However, I keep dusting myself off, and rise up again by my attempt to attract grace, by my prayers and endeavors. As it is said, “The Lord helps those who help themselves.” I remember the determination of the sparrow, and her attracting the help of Garuda! In another sense our endeavor is meant to be its own reward and regardless of whether we are successful or not externally, our real success is our devotional attitude and desire to please our gurus and Krishna!

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=64108

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The gift of the Holy Name is the greatest treasure because it is Krsna Himself. Everything is contained within the Holy Name. The Holy Name is more merciful than Krsna Himself. When you offend Krsna yourself, you can purify that by chanting the Holy Name. But if you offend the Holy Name, then what? Even that we can purify by chanting the Holy Name. The only remedy is chanting the Holy Name!

Source: https://www.kksblog.com/2021/05/chanting-is-the-only-remedy/

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