Run to Krishna 1/3

(Compiled from notes on lectures of H. H. Mahavishnu Goswami)

Dear Prabhujis and Mathajis,

Hare Krishna! Please accept my humble obeisances! All Glories to Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev!

We are all spiritual aspirants who are leading a material life. Hence always the question comes in front us as to how to balance this equation. Our beloved Guru Maharaj very lovingly guides us regarding this, in his inimitable style, in one of the lectures he delivered in Durban, South Africa in December 1994. I am trying to post the transcription of a portion of the lecture, for all our benefit.

"We have to remember that on the one hand, we have to lead our material responsible lives and on the other hand, the instruction of the scriptures is that our mind has got to be engaged always in thinking of the Lord. Our lives have to be surrendered. These are the two positions we are caught in the material world. The shastras are very clear regarding the instructions. Krishna Himself says in Bhagavad Gita 18.46,

yatah pravrttir bhutaanaam / yena sarvam idam tatam
sva-karmanaa tam abhyarcya / siddhim vindati maanavah

"By worship of the Lord, who is the source of all beings and who is all-pervading, a man can attain perfection through performing his own work."

Beautiful two lines. He says, 'yatah pravrttir bhutaanaam'- all living entities will have to perform the different material duties according to their circumstances and all these activities are coming out of the Supreme Absolute Truth Krishna. 'yena sarvam idam tatam' - because He is all-pervading. Everywhere He is situated. "mattah parataram naanyat kincit asti dhananjaya -Apart from Me, you don't see anything in the manifestation. You be sure about it", He tells to Arjuna. If this is so, then every living entity is advised, 'sva karmana' - through his own actions, 'tam abhyarcya' - you have to worship the Supreme Absolute Truth Krishna and then if you do that, 'siddhim vindati maanavah' - then those living entities will definitely attain perfection.

We are sitting in these stages and so many programs and stalls and stands are going on, it is all because living entities like you, who are situated in their own occupational duties they are helping us to do these things. This is the way to link our daily work to Krishna's service. You please do not disturb yourself. Do not run away from your work. You please start only one thing. That is you keep the chanting beads and start chanting "Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare". Unless you do this, your life is completely useless. Without remembering Krishna, whatever you do, is His illusory energy and illusory energy is compared to mirage. In the desert, you see the water, but as soon as you run to drink the water, there is no water at all. It appears that there is water. Without Krishna , you may feel that you are very happy and happiness is just within our reach, but you can't be really happy without remembering the Absolute truth.

These are very clear instructions from Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavad Gita is our preliminary science. In any difficult situation and we have so many difficult situations, please don't grind yourself in the miserable condition. Instead run to Krishna in the temple or have a nice temple altar in your own house. And you will experience that as soon as you go to Krishna and just join your hands and tell Him, "Prabhu, I am yours. I am in a difficult condition. Please do whatever you like, but I can't bear this". And if you request Him, you will see miraculously the difficulties disappear. This is something from the practical experience. It is not a mentally concocted idea. No.

"Vedyam vaastavam atra vastu shivadam taapatrayonmulanam"- The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. Vedyam - as soon as you try to know Krishna, and to know Krishna, as I told you,communion with the Lord by transmission of the transcendental sound vibration "Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare" is non-different from the whole spirit Krishna. The sound vibration is non-different from the Lord. You chant a simple verse and a simple prayer and that transmission of the sound will connect you to the Supreme Absolute Truth. Please do not get rotten into the material atmosphere. We have a powerful father. Recognize the authority of the father and come to Him running, not only at the time of difficulty but all the time we should run to Krishna.

Maharaj explained the pastime of Parikshit maharaj being attacked by Ashwathama's fiery weapon and how Uttara ran to Krishna for protection and the same shall be posted in the subsequent mail, Krishna willing.

Thank you very much.
Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev,
Vaijayanthimala devi dasi
Chennai.

Chant,

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna

Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama

Hare Hare

and be happy.