Galeria de Mukul Banerjee (www.mukulbanerjee.com)
Dancing Girl Of Mohenjodaro, Indus Valley Civilization
The "Dancing girl" found in Mohenjo-daro is an artifact that echoes the architectural wonders of ancient, deep buried long ago. Some 4500 years old, this 10.8 cm long bronze statue of the dancing girl was found in 1926 from a broken down house on the "ninth lane" in Mohenjo-daro. The figurine of the dancing girl of Mohenjodaro has changed the way one looked at Indian art of antiquity. The "pert liveliness" of the minute figure is unparallel and amidst its curves and pose whispers the secret of the ancient age. The bronze statuette is hardly four inches high yet speaks ample of the superb craftsmanship and of the caster`s skills.
The little dancing girl is as if a surmise echoing across the ages, a culture both distant and not so far, depicting a moment away from the present day, in one pretty tangible instant. The vivacity of the figurine since ages has drawn attention of the scholars. The dancing girl of Mohenjodaro is without any clothes; while her left leg is slightly bent , it is her arm that delicately rests on her thigh. Her entire weight is there on her right leg and the right arm is resting on her hips in an elegantly insouciant gesture. Her elaborately coiled hair, her bangles and necklaces speaks of the social life of the then India. A moment captured eternally, a vivid impression of the young the dancing girl of Mohenjodaro so ideally "beats time to the music with her legs and feet..."
The creativity of this lovely dancing girl of Mohenjodaro crosses time and space whilst murmuring the secrets of an apparently enigmatic, but at least fleetingly recognizable past of India.
Read More: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Valley_Civilization
Metal Cart, Mohenjodaro, Indus Valley Civilization
Metallurgy in India has a long and varied history. Bronze and copper were known during the period of the Indus Valley Civilization. The recovery of metal articles (including a bronze dancing girl) and the discovery of crucible with slag attached are clear indicators of the knowledge of casting (pouring molten-hot metal into moulds of the desired shape and size) and forging (hammering hot metal into required shapes). Further, this points to the fact that these early peoples could produce and handle temperatures as high as 1084° C (melting point of copper), as also 1065° C (gold), 960° C (silver), 327° C (lead), and 232° C (tin). Working with iron with its melting point at 1533° C was inarguably a later achievement.
Mohenjodaro, Harappa and Lothal are the three major sites of this civilization. At Lothal in the state of Gujarat, two types of kilns have been excavated, One, a circular kiln that measures 1 metre in diameter, that was most probably used for smelting copper ingots; the second, a rectangular kiln measuring 75 by 60 cms. with a depth of 30 cms. This is believed to have been used for casting tools.
The many metal discoveries at Lothal include figure, amulets, pins in the shape of a bird-head, miniature figures, and tools such as a curved or circular saw, a needle with an eye at the piercing end, and a bronze drill with twisted grooves. This last is by far the most important find of ancient tools because this single item led to an unparalleled precision at the time, and is widely regarded as the precursor to modern machine tools.
The above-mentioned tools are exceptional in the entire Indus Valley civilization, and neither do they bear resemblance to Harappan tools. Indeed, Lothal was already a prosperous town prior to the arrival of the Harappans sometime around 2450 BC and till 1600 BC.
Unicorn Seal, Harappa, Indus Valley Civilization
Stamp seal with unicorn and ritual offering stand, ca. 2000-1900 B.C.; Harappan. Indus Valley, Harappa,
Seals appear in the Indus Valley around 2600 B.C. with the rise of the cities and associated administrators. Square and rectangular seals were made from fired steatite. The soft soapstone was carved, polished, and then fired in a kiln to whiten and harden the surface. Seals made of metal are extremely rare, but copper and silver examples are known. The square seals usually have a line of script along the top and a carved animal in the central portion. The animals depicted on the seals, usually males, include domestic and wild animals as well as mythical creatures, such as the unicorn. A small feeding trough or mysterious offering stand is often placed below the head of the animal. Some seals contain more complex scenes that represent mythological or religious events. On the reverse side is a carved knob, or boss, with a perforation for holding a thick cord. These knobs must have been easily broken and are missing from most seals. The unicorn is by far the most common motif found impressed on clay tags originally attached to knots or binding on a bundle of goods. This suggests that the unicorn seal owners were mostly involved in trade and commerce but does not mean that they were the most powerful group. The less widely distributed seals with the bull, elephant, rhinoceros, and tiger motifs may have represented the most powerful clans or offices that actually ruled the cities. Other types of seals found in the Indus Valley, such as compartmented seals, reflect connections with regions where these types of seal were in use.
Unicorn Seal, Harappa, Indus Valley Civilization
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Sri Krishna Janmastami Maha Kalash Abhisekha
Annual Patron Member Puja You are cordially invited to sponsor a Golden Kalash to bathe Sri Sri Radha Krishna, on the most auspicious day of
Sri Krishna Janmastami
(September 4, 2007)
This is a wonderful chance for you and your family to sponsor a beautiful bathing ceremony for Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. With your generous sponsorship, you will get to keep the sacred Kalash that the temple priest uses to bathe the Lord on your behalf. We will mail you your golden Kalash along with a wonderful assortment of prasadam sweets that will be offered to Sri Sri Radha Krishna on Janmastami. Your tax deductible contribution with help us to maintain and develop the worship of Lord Krishna.
Your golden Kalash is an amazingly beautiful transcendental work of art that your family will treasure for many generations. It will be shipped to you in a red velvet box as seen above:
There is a very limited supply. So if you would like to to sponsor a Kalash, do so right away before they are all taken: www.backtohome.com/KalashBroadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead at the Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Austin, Texas, USA
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Beyond Superficiality
Material existence is superficial because it is based on the covering of the self, the material body, not the actual self, the eternal spirit-soul. Sometimes uninformed people think that Krishna consciousness is superficial. This means that they do not understand what Krishna consciousness is. Krishna consciousness means to re-awaken one's actual self, which has been covered with so many false identities for thousands and millions of lifetimes. Krishna consciousness means to come completely beyond the realm of superficiality into the realm of reality. In that realm one tangibly experiences eternity, knowledge, and bliss at every minute.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
Should I Get Initiated?...
I have been practicing Krishna Consciousness for the past 3 years and chanting my 16 rounds a day . But there are some days when I am just too tired to finish the rounds. Do I have to chant the number of incomplete rounds on the next day?
I am not initiated yet but am considering to but am unsure of the process. Some people say that if you have been practicing the 4 regulative principles and chanting I am qualified to be initiated. But what worries me is that I will be giving my guru more problems if I am not consistent at times in my practice. I don't like to give another person any problems.
Sumatti
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Do So and Become Liberated from Birth and Death...
Yes, you must make up the missing rounds on the following day.
If you have been steadily chanting 16 rounds and following the four regulative principles, and can commit yourself to continue steadily in this, you are qualified for initiation. The spiritual master is very kind to accept you as a burden. Because of his love for you he would rather take your problems than to have you remain within the cycle of birth and death. You should make an extra effort to be consistent in your practice, take advantage of his kindness, become his disciple, and thus be liberated from the cycle of birth and death.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead at the Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Austin, Texas, USA
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Transcending the Quagmire of Material Existence
No matter how you look at material existence it is a sour deal. No amount of wealth, prestige, or power can buy us lasting happiness. Sooner or later everyone is unwillingly dragged down by old age, disease, and death. Feeling helpless practically everyone simply resigns themselves to their fate.
But those who are thoughtful question, "I do not want to suffer. Why am I being forced to suffer in so many ways?" If such a philosophically minded person consistently pursues this line of logic, he will eventually be blessed by the Lord who is seated within his heart by contact with the bona fide spiritual master, who then enlightens him with transcendental knowledge.
Transcendental knowledge means knowledge of the Supreme Lord, His transcendental abode, and how one can enter into that abode as an eternal resident. Even while living within this world, we can fully enter into a state of pure transcendental existence. This state is called "Krishna consciousness." It is the supreme perfection of existence. The easiest and quickest way to enter into that divine state is by chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
Here we see Beatle George Harrison relishing the spiritual bliss of chanting Lord Krishna's holy names in the association of Krishna's devotees.
If you would like to become Krishna conscious, we urge you to take this course very seriously. If you follow carefully our instructions, we can gaurantee you that this will be your last lifetime in the quagmire of material existence.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
Why Did God Put Me into Depression?...
I was under depression for the past one year. Now I m alright. I want to know why God put me under depression. Now my career and studies have come to a standstill. My depression is not fully over. I am taking medication yet. What should I do or think so that God helps me in improving my condition.
Thanks in anticipation,
Regards,
Diwakar
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You Put Yourself into Depression...
God did not put you into depression. You put yourself in depression by turning away from God. All you have to do is fully absorb yourself in His loving service and you will never be depressed again.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead at the Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Austin, Texas, USA
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Become a Great Leader
My Dear Readers,
The entire world is suffering due to bad leadership. The leaders in all divisions of the human society are disqualified to give proper guidance to those that they are leading. In other words, today's world has no leaders. It has only mis-leaders. This is an opportunity for you.
According the Srimad Bhagavatam, the only person who is qualified to be a leader is that person who can lead others in such a way that they escape the repetition of birth and death:
gurur na sa syat sva-jano na sa syat
pita na sa syaj janani na sa syat
daivam na tat syan na patis ca sa syan
na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum
"One who cannot deliver his dependents from the path of repeated birth and death should never become a spiritual master, a father, a husband, a mother or a worshipable demigod." SB 5.5.18
So to become a great leader all you have to do is become fixed solidly in the principles of Krishna consciousness under the expert guidance of the bona fide spiritual master. Then you can begin to exert your influence on much as possible and become one of the great leaders of the world.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
Eternal Damnation from a Loving God?...
I have three questions:
Christians say that God's punishment for rejecting Him is everlasting pain in the fire of hell. How is this compatible with a God of love? If I as an imperfect being would not permit my children to suffer for all eternity with no hope of redemption how could God who is infinitely more loving than me do this ?
Someone told me that in embracing Krishna consciousness you lose your personality and become a robot or a person who is not interested in anything else. I tried to answer them that maybe they misunderstood what it means, but I was not sure I explained it properly. Please could you tell me?
Also they said that Krishna when upon this earth acted very immorally killing 16,000 people of his own family. Not knowing the Vedic scriptures very well i could not answer. Please advise.
Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer these questions.
Kind regards,
Glen
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The Christians are Wrong...
The Christians are wrong. There is no such thing as eternal damnation.
Krishna consciousness does not turn you into a robot. Rather it frees you from the robot-like existence of being completely under the control of the three modes of material nature: goodness, passion, and ignorance.
Krishna did not kill his family members, rather they annihilated each other in a fratricidal war.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead at the Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Austin, Texas, USA
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Today's Thought for the Day:
You Are Most Fortunate
My Dear Readers,
You are most fortunate that somehow or other you are now in contact with the ultimate process of self-realization. Kindly dedicate your life now fully for knowing who you are and being who you are. You are not meant to rot in ignorance and suffering in this material existence. This material world is described by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur as being a place unfit for a gentleman. So kindly awaken your dormant Krishna consciousness and regain your original position of unlimited knowledge and happiness in the spiritual world. Come to the spiritual platform beyond all the sufferings of this material existence. We are prepared to give you all guidance how to achieve this, if you are prepared to lay aside all of your preconceptions and seriously follow our instructions.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
Demigods and Abortion...
I have a question. What should one do when instructions from a demigod conflict with what Krishna tells one to do? Should one do what Krishna says instead? Is it always so?
Also, I was wondering, what is Krishna's stance on abortions? Are they sinful, and how great is such a sin?
Thank you,
Anna
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Krishna and the Law of Karma...
Since Krishna is the supreme authority, we are meant to surrender only to Krishna, not to the demigods.
Since the soul enters the womb at the time of conception, abortion is murder. The karma for murder is to be murdered. If someone aborts a baby, they must be aborted in their next life as a karmic reaction.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead at the Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Austin, Texas, USA
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Are You Chanting Japa?
My Dear Readers,
This is not a mere academic process. If you want to be making tangible progress every day to awaken the pure love of Godhead that is there within you, you need to be chanting japa. The minimum amount of chanting is 16 rounds. One round is one time around the strand of prayer beads chanting the Hare Krishna mantra once on each of the 108 beads. Sixteen rounds chanted with devotion will give you a spiritual "battery charge" that will last for 24 hours. One can always chant more for even greater benefit.
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given a wonderful prayer glorifying the effects of chanting the Holy Names of God:
"Glory to the Sri Krishna sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious."
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
P.S. If you do not yet have japa beads you can order them at:
http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/store
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Questions and Answers:
I Can No Longer Trust Anyone...
I am in a very critical situation because I do not trust any one, as everyone has broken my trust at every path of my life. In fact, you will be surprised to know that i don't even trust myself. Please help me to know what shall I do.
Regards,
Sunil
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Simply Trust Krishna...
When you reach the point where you trust no one, not even yourself, you simply have to put your complete faith and trust in Lord Sri Krishna. This complete trust in Krishna will bring about a totally wonderful transformation in your life.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead at the Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Austin, Texas, USA
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Take this Process Very Seriously
My Dear Readers,
I urge each and every one of you to take very seriously the self-realization process. Without realizing who we are, our lives are simply spoiled. It does not matter whether we become rich, famous and powerful or not. All that matters is that we awaken the dormant enlightened consciousness, the Krishna consciousness, that has been sleeping since time immemorial within us.
We hope that you will take our instructions very seriously and diligently carry them out. If you do so, we can guarantee you that your life will be unbelievably sublime.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
Can I Chant in my Mind?...
I would like to know if it is okay to say the Mantra in your mind without the beads while traveling or do you have to be in a quiet place and have the beads in order to chant the Mantra for it to be correct and accepted?
Also what would happen to a soul if a person commits suicide?
Also, what is a good greeting to say to people? Normally I say "Sita Ram."
Thanks. Keep up the good work.
Your grateful,
Seema
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Yes, But Audible Chanting is Required to Transcend the Modes of Nature...
You can meditate on the Hare Krishna mantra in your mind. But you must audibly chant it at least 16 rounds daily on your japa beads. Silent "chanting" alone does not have sufficient potency to elevate your consciousness beyond the influence of the three modes of material nature. Even while traveling you can chant softly on your beads so as not to disturb the other travelers.
If one commits suicide he must suffer the hellish punishment of taking birth as a ghost in his next lifetime.
It is better to say "Hare Krishna" as a greeting because the Hare Krishna Mantra is recommended in the Kali Santarana Upanisad as being the most potent mantra for self-realization in the age of Kali.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead at the Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Austin, Texas, USA
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Escaping the Quicksand of Material Existence
My Dear Readers,
May Krishna bless you for your dedication to every day reading about Him and the process of reaching Him. This activity of absorption in the topics of the Lord and His devotees is the method of escaping the quicksand of material existence. We depend on the mercy of Krishna to save us. That mercy is manifested in the form known as shabda brahma, transcendental sound vibration. This shabda brahma is the Hare Krishna mantra and the nectarean topics of the Lord and His devotees.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
Is Srila Prabhupada My Only Guru?...
Hare Krishna. As far as I know from the teachings of Srila Prabhupada I came to the conclusion that Srila Prabhupada himself is my guru because I came to Krishna consciousness by reading Srila Prabhupada's books. It is by his books only that I got inspiration in Krishna consciousness. I have therefore concluded that he is only my guru. My question is, am I correct or wrong?
Your student
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The Servant of the Servant of the Servant...
I am very happy to learn that you have become inspired to take up Krishna consciousness by reading Srila Prabhupada's books. Because he has directly inspired you and is directly guiding you, Srila Prabhupada is certainly your guru.
But he is not your only guru. By careful study of Srila Prabhupada's books you will see that he teaches us to pray "vande ham sri gurun". "Gurun" is the plural form of the word "guru". This means that we pray to our spiritual masters, not simply to one spiritual master. Therefore according to Srila Prabhupada's teachings it is incorrect to think that Srila Prabhupada is your only guru.
Even when Srila Prabhupada was physically manifest on this planet, his disciples learned how to serve him and please him by taking instructions from Srila Prabhupada's senior disciples. The principle taught by Srila Prabhupada is that we should take instructions from those who are more experienced than us. That person who instructs us is known as our siksha (instructing) guru. Srila Prabhupada did not like it if a disciple would only agree to hear from him. He was pleased with those disciples who could also learn from his disciples. He said that the more we can become the servant of the servant of the servant, the more we become advanced.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead at the Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Austin, Texas, USA
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Maya or Krishna. Which Do You Want?
At every moment we have a choice. Do we want to realize Krishna? Or do we want to remain in Maya (illusion)? There's no in between. Either you take Krishna, the Supreme Absolute Truth, or you take Maya. An intelligent person will carefully choose based on thoughtful analysis of the ramifications of choosing one versus choosing the other. In this connection it is stated:
krishna -- surya-sama; maya haya andhakara
yahan krishna, tahan nahi mayara adhikara
"Krishna is compared to sunshine, and maya is compared to darkness. Wherever there is sunshine, there cannot be darkness. As soon as one takes to Krishna consciousness, the darkness of illusion (the influence of the external energy) will immediately vanish."
--Caitanya Caritamrita, Madhya Lila 22.31
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
Regarding Unconditional Love...
Respected Sir,
In your article on unconditional love you said that we should do the things that God likes. How will we found out what God likes and what He does not like?
What God will get from our doing what He likes? Instead we should do the good things that humanity demands.
In my view God has given everything to us. We should properly use it. Certainly doing good things like worship and chanting the Hare Krishna mantra have a positive impact on our day to day life, but God don't want anything from it.
Please clarify whether my view is right. If not, what is the right view?
Thanking you,
Yogesh Ghalsasi (from India)
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God's Unlimited Kindness Upon Us...
Your views are not completely correct. By serving the demands of humanity you will remain in the cycle of birth and death. From sadhus (saintly teachers), scriptures, and the spiritual master we can learn what God wants. By doing what God wants we will escape the cycle of birth and death.
God has given you everything, therefore you must use everything in His service. This is your duty. God has directly instructed you to chant His names and bow down to Him. He states this directly in the Bhagavad-gita.
It is a fact that God has nothing to gain by our service. He is blessing us with this opportunity to serve Him so that we can regain our original pure consciousness that is eternal, full of knowledge, and full of bliss. This is His unlimited kindness upon us.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead at the Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Austin, Texas, USA
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Leading the World Out of Chaos
It's 1:20 pm on 22 May 2006. I'm here at my headquarters, Bhaktivedanta Ashram, in Austin, Texas. Our spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, has given us the most important mission of leading the world out of chaos. The modern day society is plunged into a state of ever-increasing anxiety. People are in total ignorance. They don't even know who they are. They think that they are their bodies. This is the root cause of all the difficulties that are so much plaguing modern modern man, both individually and collectively.
Something has to be done to relieve the people from this suffering, ignorant condition. There has to be a very solid ongoing educational program available for everyone in every language to awaken them to their actual spiritual identities as eternal spirit-souls, servants of God. This program is known as the Krishna consciousness movement. We are making our humble attempt to do our share as a part of this great movement by providing the Ultimate Self Realization Course to as many sincere souls as possible.
We are very thankful that you have chosen to be one of our readers. Our mission is to teach you how to become a fully enlightened pure devotee of Lord Sri Krishna. If you would like to know how to reach this perfectional stage of consciousness, your inquiries are most welcome.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
How Should I Conduct My Daily Worship?...
Namaste. I every day see your Ultimate Self Realization Course. I am an Indian and I want to know the right way to do daily worship from start to end. Which mantras should be used?
Thanks for this course. I think it helps a lot of persons.
Thank you,
Your Student
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Here's the Basics...
If you want to become properly situated in spiritual life, here's what you must do:
(These are the basic items of sadhana bhakti to be executed by all those who are serious about being a devotee of Lord Krishna.)
1. No illicit sex (sex other than for procreation)
2. No meat eating (including fish and eggs)
3. No intoxication (including coffee, tea, and cigarettes)
4. No gambling
5. Chant at least 16 rounds of Hare Krishna mantra every day on chanting beads:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
6. Only eat Krishna prasadam (food which has been first offered to Lord Krishna)
7. Regularly study authorized scriptures such as Bhagavad-gita As It Is and Srimad Bhagavatam
8. If possible in your area, to solidify your connection with Krishna become an active participant in community of ISKCON devotees
Once these basics are covered other things can be added. These are the most essential items.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead at the Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Austin, Texas, USA
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Today's Thought for the Day:
The Unlimited Mercy of Krishna
It's 9:45 am on 21 May 2006. I'm here in Gainesville, Florida at the airport awaiting a flight to Atlanta that will connect me with a flight to Austin. I am supposed to be arriving in Austin at 3:41pm just in time to give the lecture at our Sunday feast program. This morning in Gainesville I was explaining to my old friend that Krishna is giving each and every one of us His unlimited mercy at every minute. We simply have to learn how to recognize it.
This is a fact. The unlimited mercy of Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is being bestowed upon us at every minute. Everything that happens to us at every second is for the purpose of helping us to come to our original fully enlightened position as servants of God in the spiritual world. In this sense everything that happens to us is for our ultimate good. Because we are presently in a state of illusion in the realm of relativity, we think that some things are good and some things are bad. Because we think that we are these bodies we judge good and bad based on a false conception of the self.
In this world we struggle like anything to achieve good fortune, foolishly not recognizing that we are already experiencing the greatest good fortune at every second. We do not require to make some humongous endeavor to become fortunate. All we have to do is humbly submit ourselves at the lotus feet of the Lord and thus fully reawaken our eternal spiritual identities.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
Are There Different-Sized Manifestations of the Paramatma?...
Prabhu, it is mentioned that the Paramatma (Supersoul) resides within the body in the region of heart and measure only 8 inches. Does that make the size of Paramatma bigger in small forms of animals, like ant or a single celled animal?
Your humble servant,
Vamsidhar
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Yes...
The Supersoul (Paramatma) takes a larger or smaller size proportionate to the size of the particular material body that He inhabits.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead at the ISKCON Community in Alachua, Florida, USA
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Beyond Illusory Happiness
It's 3:00 pm on 20 May 2006. I'm here in Alachua, Florida at an ISKCON community. I'm seated on a picnic table at the edge of a forest, shaded from the heat by a small grove of trees and cooled by the pleasant soothing breezes. On serene spring days such as this, the material world may appear to be very pleasing, but the fact that we are forced to get sick, get old, and die defeats that notion. It's only when we are bereft of higher knowledge that we are lulled into a false sense of complacency by temporary material pleasure.
When one awakens the dormant Krishna consciousness within his heart then he tastes ananda, actual spiritual bliss. Such bliss is not restricted by any material circumstance. What is happening on the material plane can be pleasant or unpleasant. That does not matter. This state of awakening is partially described in the Bhagavad-gita as follows:
brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param
"One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything. He is equally disposed toward every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me." Bhagavad-gita 18.54
Thoughtful persons who take advantage of the sublime wisdom of the Bhagavad-gita will reap the ultimate benefit.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
Does Japa Chanting Help Spiritual Advancement?...
Can you please enlighten me the necessity of regular chanting of Hare Krishna Maha mantra on Japa beads and how does it helps one to advance in his devotional service. Is it prescribed in the sastras (scriptures)?
Your humble servant,
S.Kumar
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Yes, Very Much So. It is a Necessity...
The regular chanting of Krishna's holy names is prescribed by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita. He says:
satatam kirtayanto mam
yatantas ca drdha-vratah
namasyantas ca mam bhaktya
nitya-yukta upasate
"Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion." Bhagavad-gita 9.14
It is stated in the Brihad Naradiya Purana:
harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha
"In this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari."
And as to which names of God are most recommended, it is stated in Kali Santarana Upanisad:
hare krsna hare krsna
krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama
rama rama hare hare
iti sodasakam namnam
kali-kalmasa-nasana
natah parataropayah
sarva-vedesu drsyate
"After searching through all the Vedic literature, one cannot find a method of religion more sublime for this age of Kali than the chanting of Hare Krishna Mahamantra."
There is much, much more Vedic evidence to support the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra. Krishna Himself in the form of Lord Caitanya chanted japa. Srila Rupa Goswami the great authority of devotional service chanted japa. You can see in Vrindavan the beads that he chanted his japa on. Srila Prabhupada, the most powerful acharya for spreading Krishna consciousness all over the world chanted the Hare Krishna mantra on japa beads and prescribed that his followers should also do so.
The Srimad-Bhagavatam prescribes japa:
dana-vrata-tapo-homa
japa-svadhyaya-samyamaih
sreyobhir vividhais canyaih
krsne bhaktir hi sadhyate
"Devotional service unto Lord Krishna is attained by charity, strict vows, austerities and fire sacrifices, by japa, study of Vedic texts, observance of regulative principles and, indeed, by the performance of many other auspicious practices." Srimad Bhagavatam 10.47.24
Merely intellectualizing about japa however will never give one the full understanding of its necessity in the self-realization process. Only those who seriously adopt the process of the chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra at least 16 rounds daily on japa beads can actually realize its full significance.
It helps one to advance because it brings you into direct contact with God, Lord Sri Krishna on a regular daily basis. Such daily contact with the Supreme Lord greatly uplifts and purifies the consciousness.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Unconditional Love
Krishna consciousness means unconditional love for God and, as a natural consequence of that unconditional love for the Supreme Person, unconditional love for all of His expansions, the unlimited living beings that populate the totality of existence. What is the meaning of unconditional love? It is not simply an empty slogan. It means that one is fully prepared to do whatever the Lord may instruct him to do. It may be something that one would like to do or something that one would rather not do. In this connection one's own likes and dislikes are immaterial. Once simply does whatever is pleasing to do the Lord.
How will one know what is pleasing to the Lord? This cannot be understood by mental speculation or emotional whims. This can only be understood by the Lord's instructions as given in revealed scriptures and confirmed by the bona fide spiritual master. Therefore it is imperative that we seek out proper guidance if we want to be successful on the pathway of spiritual perfection.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
Is Buddha an Avatar or an Agnostic?...
Out of interest I wanted to question knowledgeable spiritual leaders about Buddha. Some say that the scriptures have clearly mentioned him as an avatar. Some say he is agnostic. I am confused. I hope you will resolve my doubt if you have time.
Thanking you,
Vijayaraghavan
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Both...
Both are true. Even though He is an incarnation of God, He presented an atheistic philosophy for the purpose of putting a stop to a gross misinterpretation of the Vedas by the cow killers. The Vedas were being so badly twisted to justify cow killing that Lord Buddha adopted the simple tactic of denying the Vedas and preaching ahimsa and karma. This was His transcendental trick to save the people from gross degradation.
Sankarshan Das Adhikar
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead at the ISKCON Center in Alachua, Florida, USA
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Today's Thought for the Day: Developing a Delightfully Delicious Existence
In the material world there are people who have many times more than what they need to live comfortably, those whose have just what they need to live comfortably, and those whose basic material needs are not being met. The purpose of most peoples' lives is to accumulate as much material goods and material power and prestige as possible so that they can be situated as high as possible on the social scale. Most people take this struggle for existence as their prime motivating factor. The problem with such a life based on material advancement is that it does not satisfy the self. It is an artificial concept based on polishing the cage rather than feeding the birth within.
In the Ultimate Self Realization Course we are teaching our students how to develop a delightfully delicious existence which does not depend upon one's material circumstances. A self-realized soul can be in any material situation and taste the sweetest pleasure at every minute. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita as follows:
"In the stage of perfection called trance, or samadhi, one's mind is completely restrained from material mental activities by practice of yoga. This perfection is characterized by one's ability to see the self by the pure mind and to relish and rejoice in the self. In that joyous state, one is situated in boundless transcendental happiness, realized through transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth, and upon gaining this he thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of greatest difficulty. This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from material contact."
--Bhagavad-gita 6.20-23
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
Are Prescribed Practices Necessary?...
I understand that the main purpose of our life is to return back to Godhead and we can do that only if we are thinking of him everyday, especially at the time of our death. Thereby all activities prescribed by you like chanting, leaving intoxication of all forms and leading a pious life are aimed towards engaging our minds purely towards Krishna and away from all else.
What I want to know is that if I'm already thinking about Lord all day and pray to him many times a day, is it still necessary for me practice all that is prescribed by you?
Mahima
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The Bhakti Yoga System Must Be Followed...
Being fully absorbed in thoughts of Krishna 24 hours daily is not some ordinary thing. Such a position of spiritual perfection is rarely achieved. This perfection cannot be achieved unless one follows the bhakti yoga system prescribed by Lord Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead at the ISKCON Center in Austin, Texas, USA
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Swim or Sink
If you don't make the endeavor to get out of this material existence, you won't get out of it. The wheel of karma will continue to carry you through unlimited births and deaths unless you make the conscious endeavor to escape it by seriously adopting the self-realization process. Practically no one has the foggiest idea of what self-realization is and what to speak of how to attain it. This is why it is essential to take shelter of a self-realized soul, a bona fide spiritual master, who can lead you out of the quagmirish cycle of birth and death. The necessity of having a guru is confirmed in the Srimad Bhagavatam as follows:
tasmad gurum prapadyeta
jijnasuh sreya uttamam
sabde pare ca nisnatam
brahmany upasamasrayam
"Any person who seriously desires real happiness must seek a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation." Srimad Bhagavatam 11.3.21
Let's face it. This material existence is hellish. If you don't make the endeavor to get out of here you will never find the peace and happiness that are your constitutional birth right. This is why the Vedanta Sutra orders all those who have achieved the human form of life to seriously adopt the pathway of self-realization.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
Attaining Paramatma Realization...
Is it necessary that Paramatma Realization should be accompanied by visualizing the Vishnu murti (form) within(</= 9 inches)? And does that realization stay or is it momentary, as Srila Prabhupada has described it as momentary in his gita commentary?
Saurabh
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Krishna Consciousness is Higher...
Those who are on the path of Paramatma realization are described as follows in the Srimad Bhagavatam:
kecit sva-dehantar-hrdayavakase
pradesa-matram purusam vasantam
catur-bhujam kanja-rathanga-sankha-
gada-dharam dharanaya smaranti
"Others conceive of the Personality of Godhead residing within the body in the region of the heart and measuring only eight inches, with four hands carrying a lotus, a wheel of a chariot, a conchshell and a club respectively." Srimad Bhagavatam 2.2.8
Paramatma realization is not permanent. Even though it is only attained after great difficulty after many, many lifetimes it is still imperfect. Therefore it is better that you focus your attention on becoming Krishna conscious. Through Krishna consciousness you can easily attain perfect self-realization in this very lifetime.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead at the ISKCON Center in Austin, Texas, USA
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Reflecting on 7 Weeks of Nectarean Krishna Consciousness in Europe
It's Tuesday 16 May. We are at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam sitting on an airplane getting ready to take off on a nine hour non-stop flight for the USA. This marks the end of seven ecstatic weeks of spreading Krishna consciousness throughout Europe. As usual, when we travel and preach, it was an unforgettable, incredibly nectarean life-transforming experience.
We arrived in Europe on March 23rd and started off by spending two weeks traveling and lecturing in Germany. Then it was several days in Finland, a week in Estonia, almost two weeks in Latvia, two days in Lithuania, two weeks in Bulgaria, and then capping it all off with an overnight stop here in Amsterdam.
There is truly nothing like the Krishna conscious life-style. Everywhere we were surrounded by the sweetest, most loving devotees of the Lord. We were regularly fed the most delicious, nutritious, and spiritually elevated meals of Krishna prasadam, foodstuffs offered to Lord Sri Krishna with love and devotion. We were lovingly greeted and sent off with farewell kirtans, ecstatic singing and dancing devotees, such as this one in Sofia, Bulgaria on 15 May:
There were so many wonderful loving exchanges with the sincere souls we met at each location that it was always heart breaking to leave a place and move on to the next destination. Wherever we went there were eager audiences hungry to hear my lectures. The lectures were followed by so many questions that often the time spent in the question-and-answer sessions was longer than the time spent giving the lecture.
In Sofia, at the time of departure at the airport, Mataji and I were surrounded by loving devotees who kept asking more questions to delay that moment when we would finally clear security and proceed to the boarding area. Here they are waving goodbye at the last minute before we disappear from each other's sight, until we are re-united when we return to Europe next September on the first leg of our 2006 World Lecture Series. Actually we are never separated because we are always keeping each other in each others' hearts.
Thus we continue joyfully celebrating day after day, week after week, year after year, by engaging in the all-auspicious activity of spreading Krishna consciousness all over the world until we are called back to the unlimitedly blissful Spiritual Sky at the time of death.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
I am Krishna, Christ, and Allah...
I always do good, feel good, think good and see good. Goodness is within me. Good is God and God is good. I am in God and God is in me. I am God. I always see God, everywhere see God and in all see God. This whole world is the creation of God and God is in this whole world. I am Christ, I am Krishna, I am Allah. Now whom should I join?
Jagendra Kumar
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Where's the Scriptural Evidence?...
Those who are actually on the platform of pure goodness do not advertise themselves as such.
The incarnations of Krishna are clearly described in the Vedic scriptures as to when and where They will appear, what Their name will be, Who their parents will be, etc. There is nowhere mentioned an incarnation of Krishna Who will be present in 2006 known as Jagendra Kumar. Therefore we can understand that your claim to be Krishna is false.
If you are actually Krishna, then you should be able to lift a mountain on the little finger of your left hand and easily hold it over your head for seven days, just as Lord Krishna lifted Govardhan Hill 5,000 years ago. It you cannot do this, then you should honestly admit that you are not God.
If you are actually the purely good person you advertise yourself to be, you will not falsely advertise yourself to be Krishna, Christ, and Allah.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead at the ISKCON Center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Tasting Ultimate Happiness in Sofia
It's Monday, May 15 2006. I am writing my last entry from Bulgaria from this visit. We were so absorbed in preaching Krishna consciousness to the devotees here yesterday that we were not able to take rest until very late. There was the morning lecture and an afternoon festival and lecture at the downtown preaching center. As soon as we got back from the downtown program it was time to get ready for the evening lecture and I gave personal counseling until midnight. Then we had to rise at 3am for the morning worship. Although such days may seem a bit too intense, actually I would have it no other way. A life fully dedicated to giving the ultimate happiness of Krishna consciousness to others is the ultimate happiness.
Today we are flying out in the early afternoon. We'll try to catch a nap somewhere, maybe on the flights to Paris and Amsterdam.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Blissful Devotees
at Afternoon Festival
More Blissful Devotees
at Afternoon Festival
Counseling Devotees
during Afternoon Festival
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Questions and Answers:
Is Jesus the Only Way?...
I noted in your response to Gary on April 21 about " Many Religions to God are man made, there was no mention about Jesus being the door to a relationship to God, Jehovah etc. In 1 John 2:23 of The Holy Bible it states, "Whosoever denieth the Son the same hath not the Father; but he that acknowledgeth the son hath the Father also." Does this mean that Jesus is the only hope we have for a true eternal relationship with God? What do you think about this verse?
Bob
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The Way of Jesus, Pure Bhakti, is the Only Way...
This verse establishes the principle that our only hope for a true eternal relationship with God is by approaching God through the transparent via medium of the bona fide spiritual master. It is fact, as confirmed in this Bible verse, that God cannot be approached directly. We can only approach him by the mercy of the bona fide spiritual master.
Since Jesus Christ is in fact one of the greatest spiritual masters in the history of the world, we Krishnites certainly accept his position as being our savior. In fact, it was Jesus Christ who inspired me to take to pathway of Krishna bhakti. God the Son, Lord Jesus Christ, blessed me by giving me the pathway to God the Father, Lord Sri Krishna. By accepting the guidance of Jesus I was blessed with Krishna consciousness.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead at the ISKCON Center in Sofia, Bulgaria
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Back on the Spiritual Revolution Trail
This afternoon we are flying to Amsterdam. It will be a one-lecture stop only en route to the U.S.A. for a brief layover at our headquarters in Austin, Texas. Then it will be back on the road again for more spreading of the ultimate self-realization science, Krishna consciousness. I cannot imagine a life sweeter than being a traveling preacher of the Krishna consciousness movement. By the grace of our beloved Founder-Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, we possess the formula for solving all the problems of the world both on the individual and collective levels. Therefore we must share this with as many people as possible up until our last dying breath. We have no other reason to exist on this planet except for the re-spiritualization of the entire human society.
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has been blessed by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada with the potency for leading the entire world out of chaos. The day will come when the leaders of the world will look to ISKCON and Srila Prabhupada's books for the knowledge of how to properly lead their respective nations in such a way that all of their citizens can be peaceful, prosperous, and happy. I live for the day. May it come soon. May it come soon.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
How to Pray?...
I have just joined the self realization course online 2 days back. I want to know how exactly one should pray. I believe in God, but I do not know how to please him. I hope you can guide me.
Regards
Rhea
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Here's How...
The correct way to pray is to beg the Lord to engage you in His pure devotional service. The best prayer for doing this is the Hare Krishna Mantra, which goes as follows:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead at the ISKCON Center in Sofia, Bulgaria
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Today's Thought for the Day:
The Pain of Imminent Separation
As the end of our preaching tour in Bulgaria draws to a close I am already starting to feel a sense of transcendental melancholy knowing that on Monday afternoon I'll be on an Air France jet flying out of here to Amsterdam via Paris. These two weeks in Bulgaria have been incomparably sweet and will be sorely missed.
There is some consolation however. We have already accepted an invitation to return in September when I am slated to initiate some disciples and more ecstatic preaching is lined up. The devotees have informed me that they will be renting a summer house in a resort area on the Black Sea where I will conduct a week long lecture series. This will be in addition to my normal lecture series given in Sofia at ISKCON's center.
The ecstatic kirtans led by Rupa Manohar Prabhu are still reverberating in my heart. Even though he is in his late 50's, because he is infused with Krishna consciousness he sings and dances with the energy of young man while simultaneously playing his accordion in a very beautiful, attractive way.
On Lord Nrisimhadeva's transcendental appearance day we sang and danced in the streets of Sofia inspired by the divine ecstasy of Rupa Manohar Prabhu and the other super inspired Sofia kirtan leaders. The singing and dancing was so contagious that sometimes bystanders would also start chanting Hare Krishna or dancing along with us.
The sweet nectar of Hare Krishna kirtan is nicely described in the Caitanya Caritamrita as follows:
krsnotkirtana-gana-nartana-kala-pathojani-bhrajita
sad-bhaktavali-hamsa-cakra-madhupa-sreni-viharaspadam
karnanandi-kala-dhvanir vahatu me jihva-maru- prangane
sri-caitanya daya-nidhe tava lasal-lila-sudha-svardhuni
"O my merciful Lord Caitanya, may the nectarean Ganges waters of Your transcendental activities flow on the surface of my desert-like tongue. Beautifying these waters are the lotus flowers of singing, dancing and loud chanting of Krishna's holy name, which are the pleasure abodes of unalloyed devotees. These devotees are compared to swans, ducks and bees. The river's flowing produces a melodious sound that gladdens their ears." CC Adi 2.2
Stay tuned in. More nectar is coming tomorrow.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
"Thought for the Day" Inspires a Christian...
I read your daily messages eagerly every day. This course has made such a difference in my life as a Christian. I repeat what I said to you last year.
I wish every Christian minister preached as you do.
I remain your Catholic devotee.
Jim
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This Proves that Our Message is Transcendental...
I am very, very happy to hear how enlivened you are to read my daily messages. That your life as a Christian has been transformed by these messages is proof of their transcendental nature.
I pray that your wish will come true. If every Christian minister and the ministers of all faiths can capture the true spirit of sankirtan, the congregational chanting of the holy names of God, it will create a spiritual revolution that will completely transform the human society. This entire earth planet will become a paradise.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead at the ISKCON Center in Sofia, Bulgaria
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Last Day of Trans-Bulgaria Traveling Sankirtan Party
It's 7:40 am on Thursday, May 11, 2006. This is the last day of our Trans-Bulgaria Traveling Sankirtan Party. We are staying in the home of Pathamanjari devi dasi in Lovech, Bulgaria. This morning after our devotional program we will be completing the last leg of our transcendental journey by returning to our home base in Sofia.
Some of the devotees are having a kirtan in the temple room, while other devotees are preparing breakfast in the kitchen on an old fashioned wood burning stove.
As I reflect back on these several days on the road since our departure last Sunday, I feel great peace and satisfaction in my heart thinking how so many lost souls have been blessed by hearing the ecstatic chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra, by receiving the transcendental books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and by getting a taste of Krishna prasadam, foodstuffs offered to Lord Sri Krishna with love and devotion. It was so enlivening to go to so many different places and engage ourselves in glorifying Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
I remember how in Burgas Gurubhakti devi dasi was distributing Srila Prabhupada's books in a spot near the world's leading symbol of cow-killing, a McDonald's hamburger establishment.
She approached two young men and offered them Srila Prabhupada's books in a very friendly convincing manner and they agreed to take them. After they got the books they walked by me with their books in their hands smiling and laughing in a mood of great satisfaction. I was simply thinking how fortunate these two young men are that their lives are now being transformed by the power of associating with Srila Prabhupada's inconceivable mercy in the form of his books.
There is no greater feeling than to be immersed 24 hours a day in the Sankirtana Yajna, the distribution of Lord Sri Krishna's mercy to the lost, fallen, conditioned souls in this age of Kali. Indeed the great sages worship this age of Kali as the greatest of all ages because even though it is the most degraded of all ages, it is in this age that salvation from the cycle of birth and death has become very easy. This is confirmed in the Srimad Bhagavatam as follows:
kalim sabhajayanty arya
guna jnah sara-bhaginah
yatra sankirtanenaiva
sarva-svartho 'bhilabhyate
"Those who are actually advanced in knowledge are able to appreciate the essential value of this age of Kali. Such enlightened persons worship Kali-yuga because in this fallen age all perfection of life can easily be achieved by the performance of sankirtana." SB 11.5.36
All one has to do is live a pious life and chant the Hare Krishna mantra on a regular daily basis. By this simple formula one can quickly and easily achieve the topmost platform of spiritual perfection, pure love of God.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
What is Hinduism?...
I want to know about Hinduism. Why they named it as Hinduism? What does it mean?
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The Religion of Those Living East of the River Sindhu...
The Muslim's mispronounced the river Sindhu as Hindu. They came to refer to those people who lived on the other side of the Sindhu river at Hindus. So Hindu technically means someone who lives east of the Sindhu River. It is not a term that appears anywhere in the Vedic scriptures. And Hinduism is their religion. But there are so many different religion systems practiced by those who live east of the Sindhu River.
The actual word for the ancient culture of India is "Santana Dharma" which means the eternal nature of the soul. Someone who follows this path is known as "Santana Dharmi."
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead at the ISKCON Center in Sofia, Bulgaria
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Realizations While Traveling Across Bulgaria
It's 12:35 pm on Wednesday, May 10, 2006. We are traveling across Bulgaria to our next preaching spot. Indrasena Prabhu is driving us in his small white car. Mataji is in the front passenger seat and I'm in the back seat with my laptop computer responding to my emails. It's a sublime day. Not too hot and not too cold. The road way is graced on both sides by beautiful serene countryside with majestic mountains. I have just responded to an email from one of my students, a college student in eastern Europe. He has written me as follows:
"I wish that one day my every thought, word and deed will be for Krishna only. That is what I wish and nothing else. I know that this is only the beginning of self realization and I know that I am very contaminated by multitude of sinful deeds of my millions of previous lives and this life. But I don't want to be sinful anymore and by the mercy of Krishna and Srila Prabhupada and you I have been introduced to this sublime pathway back to home, back to Krishna. And I am certain that there is nothing higher than Krishna and that He is the Absolute Truth and that I am His eternal servant as a pure soul and that I am not this body and that I don't belong to this temporary material existence at all. So please be so merciful and guide me back to home, back to Krishna. Please teach me how to surrender to Krishna and how to attain pure love for Krishna and how to be connected to Him at every moment in this material world. I really don't want to satisfy my senses, I wish to satisfy the Lord. Please help me and guide me out of this material world. Please."
These pure sincere words deeply touch my heart. I am quite amazed that I have become so fortunate to be living the sweetest, most enlivening existence of guiding so many sincere souls on the path of spiritual perfection. This is truly the sweetest nectar at every minute. I have no qualification. It is simply the causeless mercy of my beloved spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada has trained me to full dedicate my life for serving others by giving them the key to escaping temporality, ignorance, and misery and entering into the domain of eternity, knowledge, and bliss.
It is absolutely insane for even one person to be suffering anywhere in this world. My entire existence up until my last dying breath is dedicated to introducing the sublime process of Krishna consciousness to every man, woman, and child in every single nation throughout the world. If the Lord wants me to continue doing this birth after birth I am willing.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Answering emails while traversing Bulgaria
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead on the Trans-Bulgaria Traveling Sankirtan Party
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Honor and Dishonor in Burgas
It's Wednesday, May 10, 2006. I am here in rural area outside of Burgas, Bulgaria staying at home of Bhakta Alexander along with the other members of the Trans-Bulgaria Traveling Sankirtan Party. Our day of preaching yesterday in Burgas was amazing. As soon as we arrived there in the central area of town the television and press people were there to cover our arrival in town. We ecstatically chanted and danced on the stage while the cameramen filmed it. After we finished singing and dancing on the stage the next program was to do roving chanting and dancing through the town.
As our party was heading out ecstatically vibrating the holy names of the Lord, a representative of the press requested an interview with me. So I stayed backed to grant his request. He wanted to know what is our message. With the help of my translator, Irina, I carefully and thoughtfully explained our message to him as wrote down my words with pen and paper. I explained how we have to come to Burgas to awaken the people to their all-blissful spiritual identities beyond the sufferings of material existence. Just as he was finishing the interview I was given a graphic experience of the dualities of material existence.
Krishna explains in the Bhagavad-gita:
tulya-ninda-stutir mauni
santusto yena kenacit
aniketah sthira- matir
bhaktiman me priyo narah
"One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from contaminating association, always silent and satisfied with anything, who doesn't care for any residence, who is fixed in knowledge and who is engaged in devotional service -- such a person is very dear to Me."
Bhagavad-gita 12.18-19
We had been so much honored and appreciated by the television and press representatives. And now we would experience the other side of honor, namely dishonor. All of a sudden four or five policeman approached us. They were not very happy with us that some of the devotees had been passing out sweets to the public. They were so disturbed that they arrested Mataji and I and confiscated our passports.
A few minutes ago we were being greatly honored by the media and now we were arrested by the police! We could not communicate with them very easily because of the language barrier. They spoke only Bulgarian and we spoke only English. I was concerned that they might jail us. How would I give my widely advertised evening lecture? I was very concerned that our being jailed could make it difficult for us to re-enter Bulgaria in the future. I started chanting prayers to Lord Nrisimhadeva begging for His protection. Finally after what seemed an eternity, our ISKCON member from Burgas who had obtained permission for our public chanting emerged with the official permission papers. The permission had also been granted for distributing sweets. But still they wanted to detain us while they called in the health department to analyze the sweets that we had with us.
Mataji told our translator to them that it is wrong for them to hold us because she and I were just visitors and that if our friends did something wrong we did not know because we are unfamiliar with Bulgaria. This did the trick because they returned our passports and we were free to go.
The evening program in a nearby hall turned out to be the best one yet. This was my third public lecture here in Bulgaria in less than a week. With each lecture I am developing more and more of an intuitive understanding of how to connect with Bulgarian audiences. They warmed up to me right away. The hall was packed and everybody was tuned into my lecture. The questions and answer session was lively and the lecture concluded with a thunderous applause. Many, many people came forward to purchase books. This is always the most satisfying reward, to see that many people were purchasing the books of my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
The media people interview our PR man, Indrasena Prabhu
Singing and dancing on stage
Evening lecture to an enlivened audience:
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Questions and Answers:
Is Masturbation Illicit?...
Is masturbation illicit? If a person does not masturbate but loses his semen, is it sinful?
Your student
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Semen is Very Valuable...
Yes. Masturbation is illicit. If one passes semen in one's sleep, it is not sinful. One should be careful not to each rich or very bitter foods in the evening before taking your rest for the night. This will help to curb down nocturnal emissions.
Semen is very valuable for physical strength, longevity, and good intelligence. Therefore it should be retained within the body as much as possible. The more that semen is discharged, one becomes susceptible to sudden death, disease, and eventual senility in old age.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead on the Trans-Bulgaria Traveling Sankirtan Party
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Today's Thought for the Day:
The Challenge of Staying Connected with My Students On the Road
When I am constantly traveling from city to city it is often quite a challenge to find a way to access the internet with my laptop computer. This is a matter of more concern to me than where I will eat or where I will sleep. When I'm traveling eating and sleeping are usually much easier to arrange than an internet connection. Being able to get online is the most essential thing because without internet access I am not able to upload "Thought for the Day" and the weekly lesson nor can I upload and download the many emails that I process every day.
I have to grab every spare minute I can find available to answer my emails. The best time for me to get a lot of correspondence done is when I am on a long journey in an airplane or in an automobile. This intense absorption in hearing and chanting the topics related to Krishna is the greatest blessing.
It is described in the Srimad Bhagavatam:
athavasya padambhoja-
makaranda-liham satam
kim anyair asad- alapair
ayuso yad asad-vyayah
"The devotees of the Lord are accustomed to licking up the honey available from the lotus feet of the Lord. What is the use of topics which simply waste one's valuable life?" SB 1.16.6
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Answering emails on road stop while driving across Bulgaria
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Questions and Answers:
Need for a Living Master...
Is it possible to get out of this life cycles and rebirths, all by yourself, just by being righteous, without the help of a living master?
If a living master is essential, is it necessary to meet him personally to enable the master to know the disciple.
Your student
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Guru is Mandatory...
That a guru is mandatory is confirmed in the Mundaka Upanisad:
Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet
"In order to understand the transcendental science, one must approach the bona fide spiritual master."
Technically all that is required is that he agrees to accept you as his disciple, but practically the more you can associate with him the better. This is why I am undergoing the great difficulty of traveling widely throughout the world, so that my students and disciples can have the opportunity to associate with me as much as possible.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead on the Trans-Bulgaria Traveling Sankirtan Party
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Trans- Bulgaria Traveling Sankirtan Party Hits the Road
Monday, 8 May 2006. Yesterday was the first day of our Trans-Bulgaria Traveling Sankirtan Party to be out on the road. I am writing this morning from Plavdiv, Bulgaria, a major city about 100 kilometers from Sofia. We came here yesterday from Sofia in a caravan of a dozen or so devotees in three vehicles. Our first stop was a park in the center of town. It was an ideal day of cool, comfortable weather with Spring flowers blooming everywhere in profusion. The park was loaded with old people sitting under the shade trees on the benches, little children jumping around in the playground, young lovers enjoying their afternoon strolling around the park, an occasional policeman manifesting his official policeman profile, and many other varieties of individuals. We came prancing and dancing into the park, an enlivened, vibrant throng of devotees singing and dancing the holy names of the Lord:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
Our kirtan leader played an accordion very expertly as he sang and danced with nonstop enthusiasm inspiring everyone on the party to sing and dance like transcendental madmen. We were dipping and diving into the sweet transcendental ocean of Lord Caitanya's mercy and inviting everyone to also escape this miserable world of birth and death.
After a couple of hours of ecstatic singing and dancing, Mataji and I were driven to the home of a local devotee named Mathura das and his wife Maya. They received us with sweet, warm Vaisnava hospitality and then feed us a delicious lunch. After we rested for a few minutes I showered and applied fresh tilak to my body. We were then driven to a prestigious museum in the center of the city where I found out that I was the scheduled speaker. I entered the hall to the applause of the entire audience and then explained to them the sublime process of Krishna consciousness and answered the many questions from the enthusiastic listeners. At the end of the program many people came forward and purchased books and brought them to me requesting my signature in the book. On behalf of my beloved spiritual master Srila Prabhupada, the author, I wrote my best wishes that they could, through the studying the book, become inspired to achieve spiritual perfection and then signed my name.
In this material world many people desire to become celebrities and therefore struggle in many ways to achieve this goal. It's an amazing that simply by becoming a humble servant of my spiritual master I am accepted as a celebrity wherever I travel all over the world.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
Should We Stop All Worship Besides Krishna Worship?...
In the Srimad Bhagavad-gita 7.20 it is said:
kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah
]prapadyante 'nya- devatah
tam tam niyamam asthaya
prakrtya niyatah svaya
Translation: Those whose minds are distorted by material desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures.
My question is, "Should we stop Durga puja, Lakshmi puja, Shyama puja, Sarasvati puja etc which we arrange in a particular day every year?"
Your kind reply will help me to remove my confusion.
Hare Krishna
Ashis Paul
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When You Worship Krishna, No One is Left Out...
Just as by watering the root of a tree all the leaves and branches are watered, similarly by worshipping Krishna all the demigods are automatically worshipped. There is no need to worship them separately because by worshipping Krishna every day you are worshipping all the gods every day. No one is left out.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead in the association of the wonderful ISKCON devotees traveling and preaching in Bulgaria
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Brightening the Atmosphere at Sofia University
On Friday May 5, 2006 with the official invitation of the philosophy department of Sofia University, the oldest and most respectful university in Bulgaria, I spoke to a beyond capacity audience on Vedic culture, philosophy and religion. The audience listened with rapt attention for over one and half hours while I explained the sublime philosophy of how to distinguish reality from illusion for the welfare of all. Many questions were raised from the members of the audience. At the end after an enthusiastic applause people came forward to purchase Krishna conscious literature.
It was a very enlivening opportunity for me to introduce the dynamic vibrant enlightening knowledge of Krishna consciousness into the stifling atmosphere of academia. The audience looked so morose and dead when I began my lecture. But as I proceeded deeper and deeper into the sublime knowledge of the Krishna consciousness their faces became brighter and more cheerful.
Walking down the halls on the way to my lecture room I was reminded of the old days when I was a university student searching for the meaning of life and finding nobody who could show me the way. It was only after coming in contact with the bona fide spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, that I was liberated from a miserable, confused existence and ushered into an eternal life, full of bliss and knowledge. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto him:
nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine
"I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is very dear to Lord Krsna on this earth, having taken shelter at His lotus feet."
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine
nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine
"Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Sarasvati Gosvami. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism."
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Sankarshan Das Adhikari giving address at Sofia University
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Questions and Answers:
Is Krishna Consciousness at a Distance Possible?...
What is the end result for a student who completes these Bhagavad Gita Lessons? Are we just dark shadows glimpsing the sun with no hope of ever becoming devotees? Isn't it possible for a student to worship Krishna in their home since many of us live miles from temples and follow a home program that has been established by ISKCON? Do you not sanction initiation of students with these type of situations? Association with devotees is sometimes restricted by the physical distance and financial limitations of an individual. Please enlighten me with your views on these circumstances!
Your student seeking Krishna!
Howard
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Yes...
You can become initiated and become a pure devotee of Krishna even if you live at a distance from any ISKCON center. You will simply need to follow these principles:
1. No illicit sex (sex other than for procreation)
2. No meat eating (including fish and eggs)
3. No intoxication (including coffee, tea, and cigarettes)
4. No gambling
5. Chant at least 16 rounds of Hare Krishna mantra every day on chanting beads
6. Only eat Krishna prasadam (food which has been first offered to Lord Krishna)
7. Regularly study authorized scriptures such as Bhagavad-gita As It Is and Srimad Bhagavatam
8. Take regular guidance from senior devotees via correspondence, telephone, and personal meetings
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead in the association of the wonderful ISKCON devotees in Sofia, Bulgaria
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Connecting with Krishna
It's Saturday, May 6, 2006 at 615am. I have been so busy lecturing and giving personal Krishna conscious guidance for the last several days here in Sofia that I have once again falling behind on my email correspondence. Today I have to seriously absorb myself in catching up because tomorrow we hit the road for traveling and preaching throughout Bulgaria.
Krishna has given me a nice atmosphere for writing. I am situated at the foot of the snow-capped Mt. Vitosha. From my room I can gaze out on a beautiful panorama.
Mount Vitosha, Bulgaria
This serene peaceful setting inspires Krishna conscious thoughtfulness. I can see why great sages would reside in the forest or the mountains for prosecuting spiritual life. But for me the ideal serene atmosphere is to travel all over the world for spreading this Krishna consciousness movement in all varieties of environments: hellish cities, small towns, wherever people are eager to hear about Krishna.
Each email I reply to requires careful attention. I must meditate deeply to properly understand the spiritual needs of the inquirer and to then reply representing Lord Krishna purely in such as way as to best facilitate the inquirer in their spiritual growth. I must carefully connect myself and my readers with Krishna.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
How Can We Find Out Who is Right Guru?...
I read in the answer of the question about the Guru in one of your "Thought for the Day" emails that we require Guru from the third step in the process of nine step of Bhakti. But unless one gains proper knowledge about guru and then find a true guru, how can he take initiation? My knowledge says we need to look for all those quality in a guru that scriptures describes. Those qualities are, guru has to be realized, he should be out of three mode of material nature, he should have mastered all his senses, he should practice all that he is teaching, etc.
Now person who is looking for guru, doesn't have real eyes to see if the person who is claming to be guru has all these qualities, then how is it that can we find out who is right guru? I humbly request you, please answer this question.
Your servant,
Hemang
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Study Bhagavad-gita and Beg Krishna for Proper Intelligence...
The person seeking a bona fide spiritual master should carefully study the Bhagavad-gita so he can hear directly from Krishna what to look for in a spiritual master. He can also beg Krishna to give him the proper intelligence so that he can understand whether or not a particular person is a bona fide spiritual master or not.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead in the association of the wonderful ISKCON devotees in Sofia, Bulgaria
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Tasting the Supreme Nectar
It's Friday, May 5, 2006 at 5:47am. I am here in my quarters at the ISKCON center in Sofia, Bulgaria. I've been fully absorbed in a day-after-day marathon of hearing and chanting the topics of Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even though I've been very tired the last couple of days, there are so many devotees here who have been seeking my guidance that I have not had time to get sufficient rest. Practically the whole day goes into chanting, lecturing, and counseling. Even though my lifestyle is sometimes very tiring, I wouldn't trade it for any other lifestyle. To be fully absorbed twenty-fours daily in the highest welfare activity of uplifting the global consciousness by distributing the ultimate science, Krishna consciousness, is the supreme nectar.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
Tea?...
I read the other day in one of yours answers that you said Srila Prabhupada said that we should not drink coffee or tea. There are so many healthy herbal tea. Why can't we drink them?
Always grateful to receive "Thought for the Day."
William
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Herbal Tea is Acceptable...
I am very happy that you are always grateful to receive "Thought for the Day."
Regarding your question about tea, herbal tea is acceptable as long as it is 100% caffeine free. You may offer it to Krishna and then accept the remnants of the offering as prasadam, the mercy of the Lord.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead in the association of the wonderful ISKCON devotees in Sofia, Bulgaria
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Today's Thought for the Day:
If You Want Actual Happiness...
If you want actual happiness you have to get off of the material plane. You can no longer think that you are your body. You are instead a pure spirit-soul qualitatively one with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. There is no need for you to suffer in the material existence. Suffering is only experienced by those who are in a state of ignorance. When you realize who you are and you master the art of fully being who you are, you become completely transcendental to the fourfold miseries of this material existence, namely birth, death, old age, and disease. This enlightened stage of consciousness is known as Krishna consciousness. Even though it is the original natural consciousness of all living beings, and even though it is automatically awakened to some extent in all human beings, it is only very rarely fully awakened. If you would like to fully awaken it within yourself, you should dedicate your life fully in the service of Lord Sri Krishna under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
Why Does One Lose His Faith in Krishna?...
I would like to know why does one tend to lose his faith in Krishna when he is in the moments of great sorrow / distress. How to develop full faith in Sri Krishna in spite of the sufferings one has to undergo because of his karma?
Awaiting your reply,
Your student
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Lack of Philosophical Understanding...
If we lose of our faith in great moments of sorrow and distress it is due to our lack of proper philosophical understanding. Those who are learned in transcendental knowledge take pleasure in times of distress because such times greatly facilitate remembering the Lord. In such times their faith becomes even stronger. It reminds them that this material world offers no hope of happiness, that only by taking complete shelter of the Lord can they become happy.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead in the association of the wonderful ISKCON devotees in Sofia, Bulgaria
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Exciting Preaching in Bulgaria
The devotees in Bulgaria are very enthusiastic for preaching activities. Last Monday when Mataji and I flew into Sofia from Riga, Latvia I was greeted by Bhakta Klim and his wife, Hristina. While driving us to the Sofia ISKCON temple Bhakta Klim informed me about my preaching schedule for my two weeks in Bulgaria. There would be several days of morning and evening lectures and personal meetings with devotees at our Sofia temple. Then on Friday there would be a well-advertised lecture sponsored by the philosophy department at the local university. I have been informed that I cannot present religion. This not a problem because Krishna consciousness is not a sectarian religion. It is the perfection of philosophy and science. In the Bhagavad-gita Krishna describes Krishna consciousness as raja-vidya, the king of education. I always find it very stimulating and exciting to bring the sweet nectar of Krishna consciousness into the dry, sterile halls of academia.
After the Friday lecture and the Saturday feast program at the temple we head out on the road in a caravan of three cars to preach all over Bulgaria, every day in a new city.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
Guru Question...
Please advise me in this most important matter. When one desires to have you as their guru does the disciple then get personal instruction from you as the guru or is the online course all inclusive? Are there steps that one is personally given as far as being enlightened to Krishna in a way that cannot be done without a guru?
Your Student
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Guru-Disciple Relationship is Very Special...
When someone becomes my initiated disciple it is a very special relationship just like a father and a son or daughter. The guru/disciple relationship is most sacred, and it is eternal. Even after the demise of the physical body of the guru and the disciple, they remain eternally connected as master and disciple. When I accept someone as my disciple I make the eternal commitment to do whatever is necessary to make sure that they are delivered from the cycle of birth and death as soon as possible. And the disciple agrees to abide by my instructions. The disciple vows to chant at least 16 rounds daily of the Hare Krishna mantra and follow the four regulative principles.
There are nine steps to enlightenment. The first step is to have faith in Krishna consciousness. The second step is to associate with devotees. The third step is to take shelter of the bona fide spiritual master through the process known as initiation. After that there are six more steps culminating in pure love of Godhead (Krishna Prema). Without initiation you cannot go beyond the second step. Therefore initiation is compulsory if you want to achieve spiritual perfection.
This is confirmed in the Srimad Bhagavatam as follows:
tasmad gurum prapadyeta
jijnasuh sreya uttamam
"Any person who seriously desires real happiness must seek a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation." Srimad Bhagavatam 11.3.21
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead in the association of the wonderful ISKCON devotees in Sofia, Bulgaria
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Back in Sofia
It's very enlivening to be back at ISKCON's center in Sofia, Bulgaria. This is our second visit here. Our first one was last fall, a stopover on our first around-the-world lecture tour. The Bulgarian devotees are very sweet and warm. They treat Mataji and I just like affectionate children would treat their parents. When one is treated with such love and affection he cannot feel that he is away from home. He feels that in fact he is at home. When we landed at the airport on Monday I felt like a stranger in a strange city, but as soon as we arrived at the temple and were greeting with such a sweet Hare Krishna kirtan and the traditional Vaisnava etiquette for receiving a visiting sadhu (saintly person) it seemed as though we had never left here from our previous visit.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
Krishna and Vishnu...
Please help me to sort all of this out:
1) If Krishna is the 8th incarnation of Vishnu, then why don't we just worship Vishnu?
2) Who is the Supreme if there is the Trinity of Brahman, Vishnu and Siva?
3) Why did ISKCON break away from the Hindu faith?
I guess that this is enough for starters. Thank you for any consideration you may provide.
Additionally, how can I contribute to your cause without submitting monthly? Can I mail a check or is there a way to do it online when the funds are available?
Most gratefully,
Your student
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Krishna is the Original Vishnu...
I appreciate very much your sincere questions and your desire to serve through financial contributions. This is a very important service to help us cover our travel expenses for flying all over the world.
Although Krishna as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam, is the origin of all Vishnus, He sends some of His Vishnu expansions to appear in this world before He does. Thus He is mentioned later in the list. In other words, His coming later in the list is based on chronology of appearance in this material world, not on prominence. Krishna is the original Vishnu. Therefore He is always the Supreme of all the Vishnus. Of the three guna avatars, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva--Lord Vishnu is the Supreme.
Krishna consciousness is not a breakaway from Hinduism. If we want to talk about breakaways, then it would be more proper to understand that Hinduism is a breakaway from Krishna consciousness.
Hinduism is a catch all term for the many hundreds and thousands of varieties of practices that trace their origin to the ancient Vedic culture of India. There is no one philosophy or system of worship that can rightfully be called Hinduism. The original core teaching and system of purification which is presented in the Vedic literatures as the highest perfection of all systems of consciousness elevation-- is Krishna consciousness.
We very much appreciate your sincere desire to assist with our mission of spreading Krishna consciousness all over the world. One time online donations can be made at:
http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/donate
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead in the association of the wonderful ISKCON devotees in Sofia, Bulgaria
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Today's Thought for the Day:
The Most Amazing Mercy of Srila Prabhupada
As I write today's "Thought for the Day" I am hearing from my laptop computer the most enchanting and mystical rendition of Siksastakam sung by my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Siksastakam is the eight prayers composed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I remember when I first used to hear it back in the winter of 1972 when I was young brahmacari monk living in our ISKCON center in Dallas, Texas on Turtlecreek Boulevard. Those were very, very special days.
I had just broken free the previous year from an endless term of slavery to my material senses by accepting Srila Prabhupada as my eternal spiritual master. I was stretched out one typical evening on the hard wood floor in my sleeping bag for taking my night's sleep in the brahmacari living area. We did not have private quarters. That area served as the dining room during the day. Srila Prabhupada's singing of Siksastakam was being played on a reel-to-reel tape recorder.
In that dark winter night I sensed how the deep bhakti mood of Srila Prabhupada was engulfing the entire universe. While meditating deeply on the sublime sound vibrations emanating from his lotus mouth I felt myself being ushered into an amazing realm of eternity, knowledge, and bliss far, far beyond the illusion, suffering, and temporality of this material existence. I was getting a sample taste of Srila Prabhupada's unbounded mercy upon me and upon all the fallen, conditioned souls who are rotting in the cycle of birth and death. To this very day whenever I absorb my mind in hearing this super nectarean recording I am carried into the sweet realm of Krishna bhakti.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Here's the beautiful Siksastakam ready for listening:
Siksastakam.mp3
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
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Questions and Answers:
Whether I Can Trust You?...
1. Are you saying that Krishna consciousness is better than Christianity?
2. How can I tell whether I can trust you? Many people claim many things and I have been let down before. How can any one tell if you are a bona fide guru? Isn't it safer just to trust God and put full faith in Him rather than a fallible human being?
Regards,
Vitra
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I Don't Advise You to Trust Me...
Krishna consciousness and Christ consciousness is the same. Modern day Christianity is far removed from the original pure form of Christ consciousness taught by Lord Jesus. It has been polluted in so many ways. For example, even though the Holy Bible prescribes that we must not kill, the Christians are regularly killing millions and millions of animals in the slaughter houses.
I don't advise you to trust me. I simply advise you that you must trust Krishna. If there is a person who purely presents the teachings of Krishna without any addition or subtraction, that person can also be trusted because he is only giving us that which is trustworthy, the teachings of Krishna. Someone who presents something besides the teachings of Krishna cannot be trusted. By careful study of the Bhagavad-gita you can easily discern who is purely presenting the teachings of Krishna and who is not.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Broadcast from the ecstatic road back to Godhead in the association of the wonderful ISKCON devotees in Riga, Latvia
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Today's Thought for the Day:
Relishing the Ultimate Adventure
Today after five weeks of nectarean Krishna consciousness preaching here in northern Europe we are heading south for two blissful weeks of preaching in Bulgaria before we fly back to the USA for our annual North American Lecture Series Tour. I can't imagine any life sweeter than this. To be living in this material world fully dedicated to spreading Krishna consciousness all over the world is non-different from living in the spiritual world because it reconnects you with your eternal spiritual nature. Even though it is certainly a suffering condition to be situated in an aging body that is gradually regressing to death, if it is lovingly offered in Krishna's service for the sake of propagating the message of Krishna as far and as wide as possible, it becomes a very sweet, relishable experience. In fact, it becomes the ultimate adventure.
Everything we do is meant to be transformed into a loving offering to Krishna. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita as follows:
yat karosi yad asnasi
yaj juhosi dadasi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kurusva mad-arpanam
"Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform -- do that, O son of Kunti, as an offering to Me." Bhagavad-gita 9.27
Krishna consciousness is the perfection of love.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Questions and Answers:
How to Meditate?...
While meditating where should we try to concentrate, on the heart or the forehead, i.e. between the eyes?
Naren
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Fix the Mind on the Sound of the Names...
While meditating we should be chanting the Lord's names audibly on our lips:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
Our mind should be concentrated on the sound of the names, not on the heart or the forehead.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
TABLA - FUENTES - FONTS
SOUV2
- SOUV2P.TTF - 57 KB
- SOUV2I.TTF - 59 KB
- SOUV2B.TTF - 56 KB
- SOUV2T.TTF - 56 KB
- bai_____.ttf - 46 KB
- babi____.ttf - 47 KB
- bab_____.ttf - 45 KB
- balaram_.ttf - 45 KB
- SCAGRG__.TTF - 73 KB
- SCAGI__.TTF - 71 KB
- SCAGB__.TTF - 68 KB
- inbenr11.ttf - 64 KB
- inbeno11.ttf - 12 KB
- inbeni11.ttf - 12 KB
- inbenb11.ttf - 66 KB
- indevr20.ttf - 53 KB
- Greek font: BibliaLS Normal
- Greek font: BibliaLS Bold
- Greek font: BibliaLS Bold Italic
- Greek font: BibliaLS Italic
- Hebrew font: Ezra SIL
- Hebrew font: Ezra SIL SR
Disculpen las Molestias
Sankarshan Das Adhikari - ANUAL
Conceptos Hinduistas (1428)SC
Aa-Anc · Aga - Ahy · Ai - Akshay · Akshe - Amshum · Ana - Ancie · Ang - Asvayu · Ata - Az · Baa-Baz · Be-Bhak · Bhal-Bu · C · Daa-Daz · De · Dha-Dry · Du-Dy · E · F · Gaa-Gayu · Ge-Gy · Ha-He · Hi-Hy · I · J · K · Ka - Kam · Kan - Khatu · Ki - Ko · Kr - Ku · L · M · N · O · P · R · S · Saa-San · Sap-Shy · Si-Sy · Ta - Te · U · V · Ve-Vy · Y · Z
Conceptos Hinduistas (2919) SK
Aa-Ag · Ah-Am · Ana-Anc · And-Anu · Ap-Ar · As-Ax · Ay-Az · Baa-Baq · Bar-Baz · Be-Bhak · Bhal-Bhy · Bo-Bu · Bra · Brh-Bry · Bu-Bz · Caa-Caq · Car-Cay · Ce-Cha · Che-Chi · Cho-Chu · Ci-Cn · Co-Cy · Daa-Dan · Dar-Day · De · Dha- Dny · Do-Dy · Ea-Eo · Ep-Ez · Faa-Fy · Gaa-Gaq · Gar-Gaz · Ge-Gn · Go · Gra-Gy · Haa-Haq · Har-Haz · He-Hindk · Hindu-Histo · Ho-Hy · Ia-Iq · Ir- Is · It-Iy · Jaa- Jaq · Jar-Jay · Je-Jn · Jo-Jy · Kaa-Kaq · Kar-Kaz · Ke-Kh · Ko · Kr · Ku - Kz · Laa-Laq · Lar-Lay · Le-Ln · Lo-Ly · Maa-Mag · Mah · Mai-Maj · Mak-Maq · Mar-Maz · Mb-Mn · Mo-Mz · Naa-Naq · Nar-Naz · Nb-Nn · No-Nz · Oa-Oz · Paa-Paq · Par-Paz · Pe-Ph · Po-Py · Raa-Raq · Rar-Raz · Re-Rn · Ro-Ry · Saa-Sam · San-Sar · Sas-Sg · Sha-Shy · Sia-Sil · Sim-Sn · So - Sq · Sr - St · Su-Sz · Taa-Taq · Tar-Tay · Te-Tn · To-Ty · Ua-Uq · Ur-Us · Vaa-Vaq · Var-Vaz · Ve · Vi-Vn · Vo-Vy · Waa-Wi · Wo-Wy · Yaa-Yav · Ye-Yiy · Yo-Yu · Zaa-Zy
GENERAL
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