Galeria de Mukul Banerjee (www.mukulbanerjee.com)
Mallikarjuna Temple, Pattadakal, Karnataka
Mallikarjuna Temple is a smaller version of the Virupaksha temple and was built by Vikramadiyta's second queen Trilokyamahadevi in 745. This temple is also was constructed by Rani Trilokyamahadevi to celebrate the victory (by Vikramaditya II) over the Pallavas. The Mallikarjuna temple was built immediately after and close to the Virupaksha temple (It has a similar plan), with a 4 storeyed vimana with a circular griva and sikhara. Mallikarjuna temple in Dravidian style.
Pattadakal, in Karnataka, represents the high point of an eclectic art which, in the 7th and 8th centuries under the Chalukya dynasty, achieved a harmonious blend of architectural forms from northern and southern India. An impressive series of nine Hindu temples, as well as a Jain sanctuary, can be seen there. One masterpiece from the group stands out – the Temple of Virupaksha, built c. 740 by Queen Lokamahadevi to commemorate her husband's victory over the kings from the South.
Pattadakal represents the high point of an eclectic art which, in the 7th and 8th centuries under the Chalukya dynasty, achieved a harmonious blend of architectural forms from northern and southern India. An impressive series of nine Hindu temples, as well as a Jain sanctuary, can be seen there.
Three very closely located sites in the State of Karnataka provide a remarkable concentration of religious monuments dating from the great dynasty of the Chalukya (c. 543-757). There are the two successive capital cities - Aihole (ancient Aryapura), Badami, and Pattadakal, the 'City of the Crown Rubies' (Pattada Kisuvolal). The latter was, moreover, for a brief time the third capital city of the Chalukya kingdom; at the time the Pallava occupied Badami (642-55). While Aihole is traditionally considered the 'laboratory' of Chalukya architecture, with such monuments as the Temple of Ladkhan (c. 450) which antedate the dynasty's political successes during the reign of King Pulakeshin I, the city of Pattadakal illustrates the apogee of an eclectic art which, in the 7th and 8th centuries, achieved a harmonious blend of architectural forms from the north and south of India.
Situated between the Malaprabha River to the north, and a minuscule village to the south, Pattadakal possesses a sort of holy city comprised of an impressive series of eight Hindu temples dedicated to Siva. Somewhat off to the side, towards the village, is the ninth Sivaite sanctuary, the Temple of Papanatha, as well as a Jain temple. In the monumental complex of the central zone are structures whose design was strongly influenced by the architecture of northern India: the temples of Galaganatha and of Kashi Vishveshvara, which are noteworthy for their square-shaped shikharas with curved edges. They stand along with other temples of a pure Dravidian style - Sangameshvara, built between 696 and 733, and Mallikarjuna, built consecutively from 733-44. Cornices decorate the walls of these temples and the roofs are the complex, storeyed type found in southern architecture.
The unexpected and yet harmonious mixture of these styles provided the inspiration for the masterpiece of Chalukya art, the temple of Virupaksha. This Sivaite sanctuary was erected around 740 by Queen Lokamahadevi to commemorate the victory in 731 of her husband, King Vikramaditya II, over the Pallava and other sovereigns of southern India. The king's admiration for the art of his conquered enemies is borne out by two inscriptions that offer proof that he brought in from the south an architect and a team of sculptors.
Prominently jutting out from the cruciform temple are three porches, a typical Chalukyan feature. They blend perfectly with the majestic three-storey tower and the walls with their overhanging cornices punctuated by narrow pilasters that separate niches filled with marvellous statuary. An overall concept dictated the choice of statues which illustrate the great themes of Siva theology and mythology.
The evocative ruins of the numerous abandoned sanctuaries within the enclosure may be reached, on the west and east sides, through two monumental gates. In the axis of the courtyard, in front of the temple, is a beautiful pavilion containing a colossal black stone statue of Siva's sacred bull, Nandi. The puja, the ritual washing of the bull, takes place there every morning. Enhanced by its relative isolation south of the principal zone, the temple of Papanatha illustrates once again the aesthetic achievement resulting from the incorporation of two different styles. Papanatha has two rooms where the faithful can worship.
On the west is the principal sanctuary, which is covered with a powerful tower in the northern style; to the east is a more modest room, whose roof is crowned with miniature reproductions of buildings in the purest Dravidian style. Experts have found in the detail of the niches, the pediments and the arcature, many contradictory architectural references. The plastic unity of this great monument, however, comes from the remarkable sculptured decoration illustrating the popular epic of the Ramayana, dedicated to Prince Rama, incarnation of Vishnu.
Mallikarjuna Temple (BW), Pattadakal, Karnataka
Mallikarjuna Temple_2, Pattadakal, Karnataka
Mallikarjuna Temple_2(BW), Pattadakal, Karnataka
Mallikarjuna Temple_3, Pattadakal, Karnataka
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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/Kalashfrom Sri Vrindavan Dham
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Today's Thought:
The Abode of Unlimited Nectar
By the grace of that most merciful Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, we are back to home, back to Vrindavan. If we have any home in this material world, it is here in Vrindavan. Although Vrindavan appears to be an eighty-four-square-miles tract of land ninety miles southeast of Delhi, it is actually a replica of the supreme Goloka Vrindavan that exists eternally in the spiritual sky.
Just an embassy of a foreign land is a manifestation of the country within another nation, Sri Vrindavan Dham is the Lord's transcendental abode descended into this material existence to provide a launching pad for our easily attaining the supreme destination, the original Sri Vrindavan Dham in the spiritual sky.
We will be visiting a few of the unlimited holy places here in this abode of unlimited nectar. Stay tuned-in for further updates.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Request: Kindly Guide Me...
I am regularly chanting 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra daily and following other principles also. My wife is also doing some rounds daily. For the last 2 months I am jobless, and I have not gotten a suitable job in spite of my best efforts.
My problem now is that my father is not happy. He says that it's useless to chant 16 rounds as you are not doing your duty seriously, i.e. not doing any job for last 2 months. He says that when you are not able to perform your duty sincerely there is no use of chanting, you will not get any benefit from chanting.
He also says that one should remember God from inside, from the heart and that it is not necessary to chant names of God and show to others that you chant this much of rounds.
My father does not chant anything. On asking him the reason he says that God is in his heart, that he remembers him from inside daily, and since he is performing his materialistic duties it is not needed for him to chant.
Kindly guide me on this.
an aspiring devotee
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Answer: Hear from Your Original Father...
Sometimes Krishna puts His devotees into difficulty just to increase their feelings of dependence upon Him. But He will never let them starve. You don't have to worry. Something will open up for you.
According to the authoritative Vedic literatures your father's understanding is very incorrect. According to the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is our duty to chant His holy names as much as possible every day. 16 rounds daily is the minimum standard.
Many people claim to be constantly remembering God on the inside while we see that externally they are fully absorbed in material attachments. If we could see what was actually going on their minds, we would see that they hardly think of God at all.
The fact is that anyone who is constantly thinking of God will also be constantly chanting His names, bowing down to Him, and rendering service unto Him. Those who refuse to chant His names may claim they are God conscious, but their "God consciousness" will tend to be to think that they are God and that by serving themselves they are serving God.
So, so-called God consciousness may be very popular with those who want to continue their material attachments while at the same proudly think that they are already liberated, but it will not liberate us from this material world. It will keep us entangled in the cycle of birth and death.
We have been doing materialistic duties for millions of lifetimes. And where has it gotten us? We are still caught up in the repetition of birth, death, old age, and disease. If we want to escape the cycle of birth and death we must maximize hearing and chanting and do our materialistic duties only insofar as is required to cover our basic material necessities.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Doha, Qatar
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Today's Thought:
Joyful Return to Vrindavan
By the time you receive this edition of "Thought for the Day" we expect to be back in Sri Vrindavan Dham, the home of Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whenever He visits this material world. Actually Sri Krishna is eternally present in Sri Vrindavan Dham for those who have the eyes to see Him. In this connection it is stated:
vrndavanam parityajya padam ekam na gacchati
"Krishna never goes even a step outside of Vrindavan."
Radha-kunda, Vrindavan, India
By entering into the sweet transcendental atmosphere of Vrindavan we feel the wonderful mercy of Krishna all around us, uplifting us, blessing us, and protecting us. There is nothing so sublime as that sweet mercy of the Lord as manifested in Sri Vrindavan Dham.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Why Waste Time Chanting?
Our life cycle is divided into four stages of 25 years each i.e. Brahmachari Ashram (student life), Grihastha Ashram (married life), Vanprastha Ashram (retired life), and Sannyas Ashrams (renounced life). The Lord Himself ordained us to do our duties truly and rightfully during each cycle of Ashrams which he has assigned.
Only after completing our assigned duties in both the Brahmachari and Grihastha Ashrams (50 years), it is ordained that in Vanaprastha Ashram that one should detach himself from the bonds of this physical world and prepare himself to start the journey towards Him on path shown by Him and only after completing 25 years of Vanaprastha Ashram one should enter in Sannyas Ashram and totally surrender himself to Him.
If the above is ordained by Lord Krishna Himself as described in the Bhagavad-gita that just by only remembering His name at the time of death one can attain Him, then why we should waste our time, energy and all our life in chanting Lord's name?
A confused devotee
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Answer: Chanting is Our Only Hope...
Your understanding is incorrect. You must detach yourself from the bonds of material existence immediately. Death can come at any time. There are two kinds of householders: grihastha and grihamedhi. Grihastha is a householder who is detached from this world. A grihamedhi is an envious householder who is very attached to this world.
Grihastha Ashram means a place of spiritual cultivation. The grihastha remains with wife and children but is completely detached, seeing them as the property of Krishna to be engaged in His service.
Krishna has ordered us in the Bhagavad-gita to chant His names. He does not say that this is only for a certain class of men. This is for everyone.
Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-gita to a Grihastha, Sri Arjuna, and told him to immediately surrender. Arjuna was not a vanaprastha or a sannyasi. Therefore we can understand that everyone, including grihasthas, are meant to immediately surrender themselves at Sri Krishna's lotus feet.
Bhaktivinode Thakur was a great acharya, a pure devotee of the Lord. Yet he was a family man with a job and about one dozen children. There is no impediment for becoming Krishna conscious in any ashram provided one is sincere.
It is a fact that if we simply remember the Lord at the time of death, we will attain Him. But it is not easy to remember Him at the time of death. Our natural tendency at the time of death is for our mind to take shelter of that which we have always clung to throughout our life. This is why we must always call out the Lord's holy names with love and develop a very strong attachment to Him. If we want to be so fortunate as to remember the Lord at the time of our passing out of this body, we must practice fixing our mind on Him by chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra every day on japa beads. Otherwise when death comes our mind will cling to some material desire and we will take birth again in this material world to fulfill that desire.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain
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Today's Thought:
Rain in Bahrain
It is now 3:49 am on 27 November 2006. In three hours we are departing from the Kingdom of Bahrain for an evening lecture and overnight stop on the nearby peninsula of Qatar before heading onward for the holy land of India. It has been a very joyful experience for us to be here in the midst of so many wonderful devotees of the Lord who are so joyfully practicing Krishna consciousness together as a loving spiritual family.
The most unusual rain which accompanied our visit here was joyfully received by the locals on this parched desert island, although it caused a flood in front of the temple. This created an interesting experience for us when we arrived and departed from the temple last night. How were we to get in and out of the car without getting our shoes and socks wet?
The devotees came up with a solution for our dilemma.
In this material world the lack of rainfall is becoming more and more of a problem in an ever-increasing number of locations throughout the globe. However, if the world leaders would simply take note of the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita, the water-shortage problem can easily be solved.
annad bhavanti bhutani
parjanyad anna-sambhavah
yajnad bhavati parjanyo
yajnah karma-samudbhavah
"All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajna [sacrifice], and yajna is born of prescribed duties." Bhagavad-gita 3.14
What is the prescribed sacrifice for this age? The congregational chanting of the holy names of God:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
If for no other reason besides bringing rain, the world population should chant Hare Krishna.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Proof of God's Existence...
If we are searching for God, then it seems logical to say that God would be the origin. However, if we were not specifically searching for God, then we could also say that everything originated from some base chemicals and that too would be logical. This type of reasoning does not indicate any presence or lack of God.
You have now hinted at a possible answer to my question, i.e. reciprocation from God. Now that would seem tangible proof of His existence. But, so far I don't seem to have had any kind of communication from God. Can you please explain what form this reciprocation would be?
Thanking you in advance.
Kindest regards.
Jeremy
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Answer: According to One's Surrender...
But where did the base chemicals come from? That you have not explained. All we are saying is that there is some original source from which everything is coming. The name by which we refer to that original source is not as important as understanding that there is an original source and understanding what our relationship is with that original source.
How God reciprocates with a person depends on the degree of surrender of that person. This is explained as followed by Lord Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita:
ye yatha mam prapadyante
tams tathaiva bhajamy aham
mama vartmanuvartante
manusyah partha sarvasah
"As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pritha." --Bhagavad-gita 4.11
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain
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Today's Thought:
Expounding the Science of Bhakti in the Kingdom of Bahrain
It is now 6:25 am on 26 November 2006. We arrived yesterday in the Kingdom of Bahrain, a small oil rich Islamic country on a desert island in the Persian Gulf. Our arrival was accompanied by unusual rainfall for this time of year and a beautiful rainbow, a very auspicious omen. Even though this is an Islamic country, there is a large of community of Krishna devotees here consisting of resident workers from India. Last night I spoke to a gathering of over 100 devotees at one of their two temples. It was a very relishable experience to describe the glorious process of Krishna consciousness to an audience which was so eager to hear it.
Why is Krishna consciousness so relishable? Because it connects us with who we really are. It brings us back to our original, eternal identities as the servants of Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Consciousness of the Soul...
When a person who is not a devotee dies, what is the consciousness of the soul after death? Is it pure consciousness? Or does the soul use the subtle body to find new ways to enjoy?
Ameeta
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Answer: Pure or Impure...
Whatever our minds are attracted to at the moment of death determines what our next birth will be. If we are attracted to Krishna, we will attain Krishna. If we are attracted to something else besides Krishna, we will attain that instead.
Pure consciousness means 100% absorption in Krishna. If our mind is absorbed in something other than Krishna, this means that we are still trapped within the subtle body composed of mind, intelligence, and false ego. That subtle body will carry us to another gross body, in which we can make another foolish attempt to try to enjoy this material world.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bahrain
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Today's Thought:
Conquering Over Anxiety
This material existence is an anxiety-ridden condition. Anxieties cannot be avoided here because anxiety is the very nature of this place. The fact that we want nothing to do with anxiety is proof of our spiritual, anti-material nature. The simple method for completely conquering over all anxieties is to revive our original, though now dormant, enlightened consciousness.
This consciousness is currently buried deep within our hearts. But it can fully be revived through the powerful system of bhakti yoga. If we are willing to chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra and adopt some simple disciplines associated with the chanting, we can quickly and easily awaken our eternal spiritual identity and thus easily conquer over all the anxieties of material existence.
If we will simply chant these names with love each and every day we will witness a miraculous gradual change in our consciousness:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
We will enter into that most sublime state of liberated consciousness completely beyond this troubled bedlam of repeated births and deaths.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: How to Overcome Fear of Death?
Even though we are aware that one day this body will have to perish and die we still fear death. Why? Besides knowledge and detachment is there any other way to overcome the fear of death?
Vijayaraghavan
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Answer: Awaken the Eternal Self...
Because your actual nature is that you are an eternal being and because at present you are identifying with your temporary material body, you perceive death as a threat to your sense of being. Therefore you are afraid of it.
As long as you remain in the bodily concept of life you cannot avoid being afraid of death. The only way to become free from the fear of death is to fully awaken your eternal spiritual identity through the process of pure devotional service to the Lord, Krishna consciousness. A fully self-realized devotee of the Lord perceives death as simply moving from one room into another room. Death is not fearful for such a pure devotee of the Lord. In fact, for the pure devotee death is something to look forward to. It is the most wonderful moment when he is rewarded for an entire life spent purely in the Lord's service. It is that glorious moment when the devotee is allowed to re-enter into the spiritual world and regain his position as an eternal associate of the Lord in His unlimitedly sweet transcendental pastimes.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Doha, Qatar
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Today's Thought:
They Do Not Know Who They Are
In this material world no one knows who they are. They think that they are their bodies. No wonder that frustration and misery are so widespread throughout the human society. How can someone be satisfied when they do not understand who they are?
People temporarily derive artificial happiness by a false sense of being the lord of all they survey. But such illusory happiness is temporary at best. How long can someone successfully consider themselves to be the lord of all they survey when all of their plans for material happiness are being eroded by sickness, old age, and a gradual withering away of the material body to the point of death? In the light of the miserable nature of the material energy, it is simply amazing how stubbornly people cling to the false notion of being its enjoyers.
To derive actual happiness one must come to factual platform of existence, the spiritual platform. But being misled by so many unqualified leaders, people are lacking scientific understanding of the transcendental nature of the self. And hence the people unnecessarily suffer lifetime after lifetime in this prison-like material existence. They could become free at any time, but due to a poor fund of knowledge they continue suffering. We want to help them. We want to save them. But they proudly think that they know better than Krishna. What can be done? When we try to enlighten them, they reject our help.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Comment: Sounds Like You Are Attached...
I know its subtle, but it sounds like you are attached to "this life" as a missionary when you state, "I wouldn't trade this life for anything."
And why not, its a great sattvic life!
Please comment.
Yours in truth,
Alf
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Answer: The Perfection of Detachment...
My only attachment is to satisfying my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. I can stay in one place or I can travel. It does not matter. But since he has ordered me to travel and preach, it is natural that I would feel great satisfaction by doing so. When the spiritual master is satisfied, the disciple is satisfied.
Such attachment is the perfection of detachment because it permanently detaches one from this material existence. Other types of detachment are only temporary. They cannot be permanently maintained.
Serving the order of one's spiritual master is more than sattvic. There is sattva guna, the material mode of goodness. And there is suddha sattva, pure goodness. The material mode of goodness is sometimes tinged by traces of passion and/or ignorance. But suddha sattva, the mode of pure goodness, is 100% free of any tinges of passion and/or ignorance. Serving the bona fide spiritual master elevates the disciple to the mode of pure goodness, suddha sattva. While the mode of goodness qualifies one to begin the spiritual path, pure goodness is the culmination of that path.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Doha, Qatar
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Today's Thought:
On a Mission Round and Around the World
On our flight from Amsterdam to Doha a stewardess inquired from us about our travels. She was amazed to hear how Mataji and I are constantly traveling around the world, how we are currently flying on our second back to back around-the-world ticket, how on the very day that our first around-the-world ticket was used up, we started another one. She asked us how long we are going to live this like. When we told her that our plan is to do this for the rest of our lives she was even more amazed.
It has been predicted that the day will come when everyone throughout the entire world becomes Krishna consciousness. Our lives are fully dedicated at every second to bringing that about as soon as possible. I pray that I can live long enough to see it happen.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Proof of God's Existence?
Hi, I stumbled on you website and been reading some of the thoughts.
Can you prove to me that God exists? I know I can't prove that He does not exist. But I would like to know whether you can prove the existence of God?
P.S. In your article on Nov 15, you argue that everything comes from something and that the original source is God. This is not logical since it also means that God too must have an origin. Then He/She is not an all powerful God, just somebody with more powers than us. This doesn't make them God.
I look forward to your reply.
Jeremy
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Answer: Absolutely!
If someone has already decided there is no God, we cannot prove anything to them. If however someone is truly open minded we can easily prove to them that God exists.
We can observe by practical experience that every machine requires an operator. No machine can start itself. There must be an operator. We also observe that this universe functions as a gigantic machine. Therefore we can guess that the universal machine must also have an operator.
God has an origin. That origin is Himself. He is self-manifested, and everything else that exists is God-manifested.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Today's Thought:
Short But Sweet Nectar Stop in Amsterdam
It is now 10:35am on Wednesday, November 22, 2006. We are at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport waiting to board our flight to Doha, Qatar in the Middle East. It was a very short, less than 24 hour, stop in Amsterdam. But in the association of the devotee it was very, very sweet.
Last night I lectured on Bhagavad-gita 3.21 in which Lord Krishna describes that an exemplary devotee uplifts the entire world by his example. This is what the world needs now more than ever. We need souls who are perfect in spiritual life, who can thus by their actions and words deliver this planet from chaos.
And then this morning I spoke on Srimad Bhagavatam 4.14.12. In its purport Srila Prabhupada describes how without indulging in politics if the devotees will simply absorb themselves in chanting the Hare Krishna mantra the general population will derive all benefits.
I am the recipient of the greatest good fortune to be engaged in the topmost welfare activity of presenting the ultimate self-realization science all over the world. I wouldn't trade this life for anything.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Proof of Spiritual Reality...
What is the proof that a spiritual reality exists?
Can you surrender to illusion and to God as well, meaning some percent to illusion and some percent to God? In other words, what happens before one is completely enlightened as yourself? Can he be in Krishna consciousness and still be to some extent in illusion while he is practicing Krishna consciousness, through chanting Hare Krishna, remembering the Lord, etc?
Indu pati das
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Answer: Desire for immortality is the proof ...
If the only reality were this temporary material body, there would be no desire in the living being for immortality. His desire for immortality is the proof of the spiritual reality.
Yes, there can be mixture. You can be 1% in illusion and 99% Krishna conscious. But if you have even 1% material desires at the time of death, you will take birth again in this material world to fulfill that desire. Therefore you must become 100% absorbed in Krishna consciousness without even a slight tinge of material desire, not even 0.00001%.
If one is sincerely executing the principles of Krishna consciousness as an initiated disciple of a bona fide spiritual master, that means that he is step by step diminishing his illusion and advancing his Krishna consciousness all the way to the point of unalloyed devotional service, 100% Krishna consciousness.
So now you must sincerely and carefully absorb yourself 24 hours daily in Krishna consciousness so that you can as soon as possible achieve the goal of pure Krishna bhakti.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Today's Thought:
Whatever Krishna Does is All Right
It is 8:37pm on Monday the 20st of November. As I write this we are flying from Austin to Minneapolis. Our plane departed from Austin way behind schedule. We are supposed to have already landed in Minneapolis, but we are still half an hour away. This is a major problem because we have a very tight connection for our ongoing flight to Amsterdam. Normally a flight is closed 15 minutes before its departure time. This is just the time that we are supposed to land. This means that we will miss our connection. And it could mean that we will also miss our ongoing flight from Amsterdam to Doha, Qatar. This will create so many problems. What can we do in such circumstances? All we can do is peacefully chant Hare Krishna and put ourselves fully in the Lord's care. Whatever Krishna does is all right.
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It now 2:55 am Minneapolis time on Tuesday the 21nd of November . We are crossing over the tip of Greenland in the midst of our trans-Atlantic flight. Krishna took really good care of us in Minneapolis. When we got off from our flight from Austin an airport official asked if we were going to Amsterdam. We told him that we were. He informed us of a vehicle waiting to immediately drive us to our departure gate. Mataji and I quickly walked up the ramp and boarded the vehicle. It was really Krishna's grace because we would have never made it on foot in time. We had about 60 seconds to make it to our gate, but it was in an entirely different terminal. We got on the vehicle quickly while the driver helped us to load our carry-on luggage. He then immediately drove off to our departure gate without waiting for any more passengers. When we arrived, sure enough, everyone had already boarded. An airport official was waving to us to hurry to the boarding gate, and we did. They had been holding the plane for us. Whatever Krishna does is all right!!
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Why Do People Die Prematurely?
In the talk given in April 1968 at Boston University's Marsh Chapel, Srila Prabhupada said that "From your childhood body to your boyhood body to your youthful body, your consciousness continues. Similarly, your consciousness will carry you into another body, and that transmigration from one body to another is called death. When your old body cannot be maintained anymore, the consciousness has to be transferred to a new body. When your garment is too old, it has to be changed. Similarly, when the material body is too old to carry on, your consciousness is transferred to another body and you begin another life. The is the law of nature."
If this is the law of nature, why do some people die during childhood, youth, or middle age, or even in the womb of a mother before he is born? Why do not every one of us die at an old age?
Purnendu Baroowa
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Answer: Sinful Reactions...
Many die prematurely because of karmic reactions from this and/or previous lifetimes. They have done something very sinful and now they must bear the reaction in the form of premature death.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Today's Thought:
Conquering Over Stress
In this material we must often face very stressful situations. How do we deal with it? Krishna instructs us in the Bhagavad-gita that this world is full of dualities. Just as seasonal changes are unavoidable, we must experience so many varieties of pleasant and unpleasant situations. The key is to not allow ourselves to be affected either way. If we don't get excited when things are going well, we are setting ourselves up not to be disturbed when things are going wrong.
The advanced transcendentalist understands that from the higher perspective everything is always going on perfectly according to the Lord's plan. Therefore he is always able to be happy by taking complete shelter of the Lord in all varieties of circumstances: both the so-called good and the so-called bad.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Regarding Chanting On Beads...
Regarding counting the Maha mantra on Japa beads:
Is there a certain significance counting the Maha mantra on Japa beads?
I know you have previously said that if we want to master the science of chanting then we must follow in the footsteps of the mahajanas, the great enlightened personalities of the past.
But I do not understand the difference between chanting 16 rounds on Japa beads or using some other method to keep count.
Does not counting on Japa beads degrade the chanting of the Maha mantra?
Please advise,
An aspiring Sri Krishna Devotee
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Answer: We Must Follow the Mahajanas to Be Successful...
We should not try to invent our own method of bhakti according to our own fertile imaginations. Such invented bhakti systems will not liberate us from this material existence. We must instead follow the pathway chalked out by the great liberated souls of this past. This and only this will bring about our deliverance. Since the great acharyas have personally chanted on japa beads and have also ordered us to chant on japa beads, this is what we must do. By obediently following their instructions we will achieve all success and happiness. However, if we proudly think, "Why I should listen to them and obey them? I will invent my own method." we will not be able to solidly establish ourselves on the pathway back to home, back to Godhead.
The great acharyas prescribe that we should chant the holy names while counting on japa beads. Therefore there is no question that chanting while counting on japa beads degrades the chanting. Rather is quite to the contrary. Chanting on japa beads enhances the absorption of the mind on the transcendental plane. By engaging our various senses in the chanting the holy names the mind becomes captured in the transcendental ocean of the nectar of the names. We engage the tongue in the pronouncing the names. We engage the ear in hearing the names. And we engage the sense of touch in counting our chanting on the japa beads. In this way the mind, the pivot point of the gross senses, becomes automatically absorbed in the names.
The mind can be our best friend or our worst enemy. If we fully absorb the mind in the names, it becomes our best friend. If the mind is not absorbed in the names, it is our worst enemy. Therefore we should intelligently agree to accept whatever means have been given to us by the grace of Sri Krishna and fully absorb our minds in His unlimitedly sweet transcendental names:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Austin, Texas
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Today's Thought:
On the Road Again, this Time to the Middle East
It is sometimes said that traveling reduces ones duration of life, so sometimes well-wishers advise me that I should not travel so much. But it is not that by staying in one place that I can become immortal. Rather, it is by following the instructions of my spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, that I enter into the realm of immortality. What is his instruction in this regard? That is stated as follows:
"Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted His followers to move all over the world to preach in every town and village. In the Caitanya-sampradaya those who strictly follow the principles of Lord Caitanya must travel all over the world to preach the message of Lord Caitanya, which is the same as preaching the words of Krishna -- Bhagavad-gita -- and Srimad-Bhagavatam. The more the devotees preach the principles of Krishna-katha, the more people throughout the world will benefit."
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Remembering Krishna 24/7...
How will I always remember Krishna 24/7? Does it happen by the mercy of Spiritual Master or by the mercy of the Lord?
Raghu
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Answer: By Combined Mercy...
By the combined mercy of Sri Guru and Sri Krishna we are blessed with the opportunity to remember Krishna constantly. The way to capitalize on their blessing is to strictly follow their instructions. If we do this, we will remain always in Krishna consciousness in all times, places, and circumstances.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Austin, Texas
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Today's Thought:
Escaping from the Prison of Illusion
It's not easy to become Krishna conscious in an atmosphere that is completely surcharged with bodily consciousness. The material energy has kept us as a prisoner for millions of lifetimes and will not easily release us from her grip. We are firmly rooted in the conception that I am a man or a woman or that I am a member of this nation or that nation. These are false conceptions based on mistaken misidentification of the self with matter. Everywhere we turn this illusion is reinforced, in every billboard, every magazine, every web page, etc. Therefore to escape from this prison of illusion is not an easy task. It requires an all-out effort. We must make our attempt to become Krishna conscious the primary focus of our existence. We must intensely desire and endeavor to become spiritually illuminated beings, if we are to be successful in winning the war against illusion.
The good news is that Krishna is within our hearts. He has been watching and waiting through our millions of lifetimes in this material existence for us to turn to Him. As soon as we do so He will immediately provide all help and encouragement. He wants us to be successful, and everything is acting and moving under His direction. This gives us a 100% chance of being successful in our attempt to attain spiritual perfection.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Three Questions from China...
(1) How is the relationship between a disciple and his guru? For example, did you always keep in touch with your spiritual master Srila Prabhupada? Did you stay together all the time, or just meet each other once a year? How often did you visit him?
(2) As a neophyte is not strong enough to control his mind and senses, there is a chance to fall down accidentally. There are many objects of the senses in the world, even if a devotee thinks of one of them a little, he will be forced by his heart to commit sin. How to avoid this accidental falling down?
(3) In China, some schools or enterprises often distribute food to students or employees on festivals. And these food often contains meet or eggs. What will you do if it's you who is facing this? If you refuse that meat food gift, people will hate you for loss of face. If you failed to refuse, and accept it. How will you deal with the food? Throw it about, or feed dogs on it? Or put it to other use? (that food is very costly)
Your devotee in China,
Zhang Lei
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Answer: Three Answers According to Vedic Wisdom..
The guru/disciple relationship is based on instructions. The guru gives instructions and the disciple follows these instructions. This is how the disciple always stays in touch with his spiritual master. He always follows his instructions without deviation in all times, places, and circumstances.
I had the physical association of my spiritual master on only a few occasions and I received several personal letters from him. But the substance of my relationship with him is my complete dedication to following his instructions. In this way I am always getting his association even though he departed from this material world in 1977.
Fall down can come at any time. Therefore we must always meditate upon and worship the instructions we have received from our spiritual master to chant at least 16 rounds daily of the Hare Krishna mantra and strictly abide by the regulative principles of freedom.
You may tell the person who wants to give you the meat gift that you very much appreciate his wanting to give you a gift, but that as you are not in need of it he may give the meat to someone else.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Austin, Texas
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Today's Thought:
The Ocean of Unlimited Mercy
An ocean of unlimited mercy has taken the form of a tidal wave and is now sweeping the planet earth. Those who are the most fortunate will recognize it and take full advantage of it by diving in as soon as possible. Because the shelter of this ocean is what everyone is actually hankering for in the innermost core of their being, even those who now deny it will gradually come to recognize it and take complete shelter of it.
What is that ocean of unlimited mercy? It is the extraordinary, unbounded loving kindness of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is the Supreme Person Himself appearing in the form of His own devotee to teach us by His personal example how we can easily achieve the topmost spiritual perfection. There is nothing like sporting in the waves of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy.
Come on in. The water is oh so fine!
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Must We Chant on Beads?
Why it is so important to chant 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra on japa beads and not in any other form like counting on fingers?
Mahendra
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Answer: We Must Follow the Mahajanas...
Any way of chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra is very beneficial. However if we want to master the science of chanting then we must follow in the footsteps of the mahajanas, the great enlightened personalities of the past. This is enjoined in the Vedic wisdom:
mahajano yena gatah sa panthah
"For success in spiritual life, one must follow that trail which has been blazed by the great mahajanas."
The mahajanas have instructed us that we must chant our prescribed number of daily mantras on japa mala beads. They have not instructed us to chant them on our fingers, on a clicker, or anything other than chanting beads.
If we try to concoct our own version of the system of bhakti, we will not be successful in perfecting our consciousness.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Houston, Texas
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Today's Thought:
There is Nothing More Important than Self-Realization
Today's human society is totally caught up in that which is temporary, namely this material body. The entire human energy is being diverted to make the best possible arrangement for this skin, blood, and bones. Of course, the body is not to be neglected. It must be kept in a strong, healthy condition. But simply taking care of the body and neglecting the soul within is like putting gasoline in your car without feeding yourself.
If the driver dies of starvation, what is the use of a tank full of gasoline? It has no value. First feed yourself, and then think about gassing up your car. First seriously absorb yourself in self-realization; then think about maintaining your body. This is the difference between genuine human life and animal life. The human being's primary focus is how to awaken the dormant Krishna consciousness, which is sleeping within the heart.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Why Give Up Marijuana?
I would like to ask your for help.
I have a friend. He is very nice and soft hearted but there is one problem. He cannot give up smoking marijuana. He does not want to because no devotee can give him the reason to stop. I would say that it is not good because this habit will disqualify him from getting initiated, but as he is not interested in getting initiated this argument is irrelevant for him. Can you tell me what you would say to him?
Thank you very much,
Your servant,
Bhaktin Eva
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Answer: To Awaken the Divine Intoxication Within...
Smoking marijuana is an artificial way of getting temporarily high. Such methods of temporarily getting high inhibit our natural ability to get high and stay high forever. In other words by becoming dependent on such material means of getting high we are never able to develop the ability to get high naturally by reviving the dormant Krishna consciousness within. Therefore marijuana smoking is an enemy to the process of spiritual awakening and should be completely given up. We do not need such artificially induced states of intoxication. By fully absorbing ourselves in Krishna consciousness we enter into an eternal state of divine intoxication.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Austin, Texas
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Today's Thought:
Memories of Houston--Grateful for the Mercy
Today we are heading out to Houston where I will be giving an evening lecture as posted above. The thought of Houston conjures up many memories for me.
One set of memories consists of the many years of associating with so many great transcendentalists, devotees of the Lord, in Houston. I am very much blessed by this wonderful ever-increasing stock of divine memories, which goes from 1971 up to the present.
The other set of memories goes from 1958 up until 1965. Those are the years I spent growing up in Houston from the ages of 10 through 17. Those were very dark years of illusion and confusion. The memories of those years are painful for me, as I recollect how much I was suffering. Although bitter, there is a sweetness (a bitter sweetness) also in those memories, because those memories reconfirm the absolute necessity of my being solidly situated on the transcendental path. I vividly remember how much I was suffering in this material world without Krishna consciousness. And I can gratefully observe the profound difference in my consciousness now. What a relief!
In this way I can take everything, both the good and the so-called bad, as a blessing from Lord Krishna to help me advance along the progressive pathway to spiritual perfection, pure love of Godhead.
Krishna consciousness is so wonderful. Through it one can transcendentalize everything. One's entire world, one's entire existence becomes completely and totally transformed from matter into spirit.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Can the Future Be Accurately Predicted?
Do you think that the future can be predicted with utmost certainty?
A S Narang
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Answer: Yes, Srimad Bhagavatam Does It...
Yes, the future can be accurately predicted. In the 5,000 year old Srimad Bhagavatam we see so many predictions that have come true in the past, that are coming true in the present, and that will come true in the future.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Austin, Texas
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Today's Thought:
You Have a Choice
You have a choice. Do you want to taste the sweet flavor of existence at every minute by fully entering into your eternal identity beyond your temporary material body? Or would you rather continue focusing your energies on trying to squeeze out some temporary flickering pleasure from a lump of flesh, blood, muscle, mucus, urine, and stool, which is destined to get sick, get old, and die? The choice yours.
I do not want to pressure you into choosing spiritual life over material life. This is a decision you will have to make on your own. I simply want to give you sufficient information so that you can make a fully educated decision.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Does God Exist?
How one can believe in the existence of God ?
Sudam
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Answer: A Scientific Proof...
We have no interest in believing in God. Belief can be changed just as easily as the wind changes directions. We want to KNOW whether God exists or not. Once we know this, our position will be very solid. While beliefs can be whimsically changed at any moment, knowledge is unshakable. Because modern day science is constantly being changed, we can understand that the scientists have not yet arrived at the point of knowledge.
"God" simply means "the source of all that exists." From practical experience we can see that everything comes from something, that nothing comes from nothing. Therefore the universe must come from a source. Just as we have a name for this thing and that thing, we also have a name for the original source of existence. We call that source by the word "God." Therefore just as certainly as the universe exists, as confirmed by our perception of it, we can know positively that God exists.
To say that the universe simply exists on its own without having a source is not scientific because that is not the pattern we observe within nature. Everywhere we can observe that one thing comes from another thing, which comes from another thing, which comes from another thing. If we trace all back to the original source of all that exists we have found God.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Austin, Texas
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Today's Thought:
The Reservoir of Beauty and Wonderfulness
Krishna is unparalleled in His beauty and wonderfulness. Indeed all beautiful and wonderful things possess these qualities only because of the empowerment of Lord Sri Krishna. In other words Sri Krishna is the very source, the very reservoir of all beauty and wonderfulness.
Consequently if we allow ourselves to be attracted to anything other than Sri Krishna, we are simply cheating ourselves out of the supreme enjoyment. Why should we settle for that which is second class, third class, or even tenth or hundredth class when we can have that which is first class?
Human life is meant to be intelligently executed, not foolishly squandered. We have our choice.
Now what will you do?
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Not Allotted As Our Quota...
In your e-mal of 11 November, there is a phrase I did not understand. You stated, "We cannot take meat, fish, and eggs because these have not been allotted to us as our quota." Please explain to me how the maxim "not allotted to us as our quota" is related to our eating habits.
Thanks in advance for your kindness to answer to me.
Many regards, your student,
Angeliki
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Answer: Krishna's Prescription...
"Not allotted to us as our quota" means that God has prescribed different kinds of foods for different kinds of species. For example, the tiger is allowed to eat flesh. If we study the body of a tiger we will see that his body is designed for flesh eating. It we study in comparison the body of a human being, we will see that his body is not designed by God for flesh eating. The human being is meant to subsist on a diet of fruits, grains, vegetables, and dairy products.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Austin, Texas
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Special Announcement:
Sriman Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Evening Lecture-Houston, Texas-16 November
7:30pm until 9:30pm
at the Home of Sarvabhauma Prabhu & Guru Bhakti Mataji
near ISKCON temple--1405 W. 34 1/2 St
Phone: 1-713-683-0216
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Today's Thought:
The Absolute Necessity of this Science
Although more and more sincere souls are joining our course every day from all over the world, it is very sad for me to see that sometimes people who do not realize the absolute necessity of self-realization are dropping out of this course. Unfortunately most people do not understand that they have achieved this rare human birth after transmigrating through millions and millions of births, and that this human form is a very, very rare opportunity to escape once and for all the sufferings of this material existence.
If we simply continue to do what we've always done, namely pursue a life of temporary sense pleasure, we will continue to get what we've always gotten, namely birth, death, old age, and disease. Is this what we really want? We must very seriously ask ourselves this question.
If we don't mind remaining within the cycle of birth and death, sometimes as a human being, sometimes as an animal, sometimes as a plant, then we can do that. But in this condition we must suffer so many varieties of miserable situations caused by the mind and body, by other living beings, and by natural disasters.
And if we would rather live an eternal youthful existence full of knowledge and full of bliss, we can seriously adopt the process of self-realization as the one overriding goal of our life, and never deviate from this pathway, even for a minute.
I hope you choose the later alternative and never drop out of this course.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: How to Attain Krishna Prema?
What is the most effective way to rise above the idea that we are our bodies? Will cleansing our hearts and minds of the false ego definitely deliver us to the level of Krishna prema?
Your servant,
Josh
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Answer: Fully Adopt Bhakti Yoga...
The only way to effectively free yourself from the false bodily conception of existence is to fully revive your identity as the eternal spirit-soul servant of Krishna. To do this you need to fully adopt the principles of bhakti-yoga as a life long practice.
In this regard you will need to rise early every day and chant the Hare Krishna mantra on japa beads. You will need to strictly follow a vegetarian diet of foodstuffs offered to Lord Krishna with love and devotion. You will also need to strictly avoid illicit sex, intoxication, and gambling.
In this way, guided by a bona fide spiritual master and regularly associating with the Lord's devotees, you can quickly and easily become free from false bodily identification.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Austin, Texas
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Today's Thought:
Relishing the Unlimitedly Sweet Nectar of Krishna Consciousness
In this material world there are many apparently enjoyable things. But that what good is this enjoyment? It is only superficial, mirage enjoyment. It is not substantial because it does not actually connect with the living being. It merely connects with his illusory conception of who he is, namely the temporary material body.
It ones want factual, lasting satisfaction, he must come to the platform of the actual self, the eternal spiritual being, who is only temporarily residing as the driver in a particular material body. On this platform he can experience unlimited happiness that goes on increasing exponentially forever.
In this connection it is stated as follows in the Bhagavad-gita:
bahya-sparsesv asaktatma
vindaty atmani yat sukham
sa brahma-yoga-yuktatma
sukham aksayam asnute
"Such a liberated person is not attracted to material sense pleasure but is always in trance, enjoying the pleasure within. In this way the self-realized person enjoys unlimited happiness, for he concentrates on the Supreme." -- Bhagavad-gita 5.21
For concentrating on the Supreme there is no greater or more powerful method than the chanting of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
Spend quality time today and every day chanting this most sublime of all mantras, and your life will be unbelievably nectarean.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Why Devotee is Put into Difficulties?
You are a bona fide spiritual master. Your job is the salvation of souls. Consequently you are dear to Krishna. But why are you made to face difficulties like lost baggage, immigration problem in Russia, minor car accident (a car hit you from behind), a truck driver coming menacingly at you when you were walking on the road. Does God expect you to learn anything from these, or does He feel that even a spiritual person needs reminders that he is in jail?
What is the need for putting a spiritual master in all these situations? What is it that he is expected to learn from these? Also, will this not send a wrong message to the devotees, that if my master himself is vulnerable, what good am I going to achieve in this difficult spiritual journey?
Seeking your blessings,
Sridhar
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Answer: Devotee Gladly Suffers...
Krishna sometimes puts his devotees into difficulties to increase their feels of dependence upon Him and to demonstrate to the world how glorious are His devotees. The devotees welcome such difficulties as an opportunity to intensify their Krishna consciousness more and more.
Regarding the devotees experiencing difficulties, my spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, has written:
"A perfectly cleansed person never quits the devotional service of the Lord. In discharging such devotional service, as ordered by Brahmaji to Narada in the preaching of Srimad-Bhagavatam, sometimes a representative of the Lord engaged in preaching work meets various so-called difficulties. This was exhibited by Lord Nityananda when He delivered the two fallen souls Jagai and Madhai, and similarly Lord Jesus Christ was crucified by the nonbelievers. But such difficulties are very gladly suffered by the devotees in preaching because in such activities, although apparently very severe, the devotees of the Lord feel transcendental pleasure because the Lord is satisfied."
--from purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 2.8.6
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Austin, Texas
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Today's Thought:
No Gap for Maya
5pm-Friday 10 November-With a little over a week left before we resume the final two months of our 2006-2007 Around-the-World Lecture Tour, there are so many things that have to be done here at our headquarters. This is a real challenge. I have to produce four TV programs for our local weekly TV show. I have my regular daily email correspondence to answer and the weekly lesson to write. I have to begin putting together a course on pure devotional service that I will be teaching in September 2007 at Bhaktivedanta College in Belgium at Radhadesh. I spent an hour this morning simply putting together a list of all the things that have to be done before we resume traveling on 20 November. Several hours were spent this morning on accounting work. There is our regular morning devotional program and lecture, plus a preaching engagement in Houston next week. There is one thing after another after another. But the beauty of this whole thing is that it is all for the service of Lord Krishna. This makes it absolutely ecstatic!
This the key of how to be Krishna conscious. Cram your day so full of service to Krishna that there is not even a single second's gap for Maya.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Are Vegetable Eaters Killers?
Since plants also have life, doesn't eating vegetables also entail killing living beings?
Your student,
Prafulla
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Answer: Obeying the Lord is Sinlessness...
In this material world even by breathing we are killing so many microbial germs. And eating vegetables is also killing. In this world there is the law that one living being is food for another living being.
jivo jivasya jivanam "One living being is food for another."
We simply have to take what is allotted to us by the Lord as our quota and offer it to Him first before eating. This will free us from the sin of killing. The Lord has allotted human beings to take fruits, milk products, vegetables, and grains, provided we offer them first to Him before eating. We cannot take meat, fish, and eggs because these have not been allotted to us as our quota.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Austin, Texas
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Today's Thought:
I Must Be a Warrior Against Illusion
To try to become God conscious or Krishna consciousness in today's materialistic world is tantamount to declaring war against the illusory energy. It requires great courage to exert one's energies in defiance of the present day bodily conscious mass psychosis.
Why should one adopt such a socially unacceptable posture? Most people feel, "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread," that it is much better to merge in with everyone else and not make waves.
But my experience is different. I personally cannot stomach a life of irrelevancy, of merging into the herd and like them trying to squeeze some happiness out a temporary existence of birth, death, old age, and disease.
Although highly unpopular, it is much more enlivening and exciting to live for the Absolute Truth and take a strong stand against illusion. If one sincerely seeks the Absolute Truth, the Lord within will bring him into contact with a bona fide spiritual master, who will enlighten him with transcendental knowledge and empower him to successfully wage war against the illusory energy within and without.
My practical experience is that if I slack off from being a warrior against illusion, I very soon find myself worrying about my temporary existence in a very shaky, illusory material situation. And as soon as I take up a fighting spirit to defeat the illusion which always vies for the upper hand within my heart and which presently pervades the entire world society, I become enlivened like anything.
For me there's no choice. I must be a warrior against illusion. Where do you stand?
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Do You Think that You are Better Than Everyone Else?
When you say you are not worthy of praise, but that Prabhupada is, you sound like you have low self esteem. I understand you do not want to inflate your ego, but come on, you do not have to knock yourself down.
I have a hard time with all the judgment that goes on in this movement. How can you really judge that Prabhupada was so much better than you, and that you are so much better that the rest of the population?
We are human, just as Prabhupada was, wasn't he? Or was he in between worlds, like not 100% human, to be held so high? I would guess that most people would be surprised at who really makes it back to Godhead during this round of life, and who comes back again.
Heidi
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Answer: No, the Servant of Everyone Else...
You do not understand humility. The more we try to take the credit, the less we deserve it. The more we try to give credit to others, the more we attract it.
That Srila Prabhupada was higher than me, I can easily discern by studying his character and qualities and comparing them with mine.
We do not feel ourselves better than anyone. We accept everyone else as higher than us because it is our mission to serve them by delivering them from birth, death, old age, and disease.
Srila Prabhupada is a fully self-realized soul completely beyond the four defects of conditioned existence. He was perfectly situated on the transcendental platform. Therefore we hold him with highest esteem.
If you have some inside knowledge about who is going back to Godhead and who is not, please share it with us. Krishna clearly describes in the Bhagavad-gita that those who remember Him at the time of death, will attain Him, and those who do not, will not. Krishna has not altered His policy regarding who will go back to Godhead and who will not. It remains the same now just as it was 5,000 years ago when he spoke the Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Austin, Texas
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Today's Thought:
The Solution for All Problems
It is not possible to enjoy this material world because it is a place of suffering. No matter what we may do to try to counteract the suffering conditions, we will continue to be hounded by so many varieties of suffering conditions. The solution for one problem creates another problem. The solution for that problem then creates another problem. In this way we can never come to an end of the sufferings of this material existence.
However there is a way to become completely free from all varieties of suffering conditions. What is that method? We simply have to wake up. We have to come out of the dreamlike state of material existence. This material body is really not me after all. It is simply a covering of the eternal all-blissful, all-knowing self.
So what is the method of waking up? We need to come into contact with a person who is already awakened. This is described in the Caitanya Caritamrita as follows:
brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija
"According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Krishna. By the mercy of both Krishna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service."
---Caitanya Caritamrita, Madhya 19.151
So how does one become fortunate to associate with a bona fide spiritual master?
Krishna is very eager to bestow His mercy upon all living beings. As soon as someone desires the Lord's mercy He gives that living being the opportunity to meet a bona fide spiritual master. Such a sincere person is helped from within by Krishna and from without by the spiritual master. Both the Lord and the spiritual master are prepared to give all help to the living being who desires to become free from material bondage and thus easily bring about a total solution to all the problems of material existence.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Regarding Meat Eating...
In your answer to one of replies to the question on meat eating, you mentioned that if we eat meat, we may be eaten by the same animal in our next life. Can you be specific as to where these conclusions are drawn from (with quotes from the Gita)?
When an animal is killed, who suffers the most...the person who killed the animal or the person who eats the carcass?
Also does that Bible and Quran allow its followers to consume meat?
Thanks
Ravin
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Answer: Everyone Suffers Like Anything...
The Bhagavad-gita states that in whatever state of being we quit our body that state we will attain without fail:
yam yam vapi smaran bhavam
tyajaty ante kalevaram
tam tam evaiti kaunteya
sada tad-bhava-bhavitah
"Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kunti, that state he will attain without fail."--Bhagavad-gita 8.6
Someone who eats meat is cultivating an animalistic mentality. Therefore they will surely become animals in their next lifetime. This is further confirmed as follows in the Vedic wisdom:
mam sah khadati iti mamsah
"I am now eating the flesh of an animal who will in my next lifetime be eating my flesh."
When animals are killed in a slaughterhouse, six people connected with the killing are responsible for the murder. All have to suffer. The person who gives permission for the killing, the person who kills, the person who assists, the person who purchases the meat, the person who cooks the flesh and the person who eats it, all become entangled in the killing and suffer the sinful reactions. They are all in a pitiable condition.
The various scriptures allow meat eating under restriction. Even the Vedas allow it under the condition of chanting a mantra in the animal's ear that the killer will become eaten by the very animal that he is killing. Such restricted animal killing is to discourage animal killing not encourage it. The highest level instruction is to completely stop killing. In this connection the Bible states, "Thou shalt not kill." For the less intelligent people who cannot comprehend transcendental knowledge animal killing is sometimes allowed in such a way to educate them to stop it completely. Since they are going to eat meat anyway, it is better that do so under scriptural restriction, so that they can gradually understand that they must give it up.
Just like the government wants to convince all of the citizens to stop smoking, but they know that is not practical to put a complete ban on smoking. It will simply create a black market for cigarettes. Therefore they allow smoking only under tight restriction and at the same time make all kinds of warnings to convince the citizens to stop.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Monterrey, Mexico
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Today's Thought:
On the Air Again
Monday brought with it another opportunity to spread Krishna consciousness on the radio. This time we were on a one hour afternoon talk show hosted by Tony Chávez. Like Hector on the Sunday's show, Tony was interested to know the purpose of our visit. But he also wanted to know where to go to learn more about Krishna consciousness. Tony so much appreciated our Krishna consciousness movement that he told me that I was the most important and special guest who had ever appeared on their radio station. Of course I am personally unworthy of such glorification, but I humbly accepted it on behalf my spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, and the predecessor acharyas, who are more than worthy of such praise.
Monday evening brought another enlivening speaking engagement. This time it was at Bhakti Priya devi's gym. She and her husband earn a livelihood through teaching various classes at their gym. The crowd of almost 100 people enthusiastically joined me in chanting Hare Krishna kirtan. I then lectured on the topmost science of self-realization for over one hour, which was followed by a lengthy question and answer session fueled by the sincere desires of audience members to understand how to successfully implement into their lives the topmost science, Krishna consciousness.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: How to Take Shelter of the Lord?
In one of your editions of "Thought for the Day" you've mentioned that when one takes shelter of the lotus feet of Sri Hari the ocean of this material world becomes as small as a puddle in calf's hoof prints. How does one take shelter of Sri Krishna's lotus feet?
Also in the Srimad Bhagavad Gita it states that austerity of the body consists of worshiping the Supreme Lord, the Spiritual Master, the Brahmanas, and the great personalities. Can you please kindly explain how does one worship the Supreme Lord and the Spiritual Master?
Susheel
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Answer: By Congregational Chanting...
In this age we worship Krishna by performing the Sankirtan Yajna, the congregational chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
This is how we take shelter of the Lord's lotus feet.
Guru worship is accomplished by fully surrendering at the lotus feet of the bona fide spiritual master. It is through the medium of the spiritual master that we are able to approach Krishna.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Monterrey, Mexico
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Today's Thought:
Tasting the Bliss of Spreading the Bliss in the Sierra Madre Mountains
A Krishna conscious person does not run after the beautiful things of this world because he understands that they are nothing in comparison to unlimited beauty of the transcendental world. But at the same time as he engages himself fully in Krishna's service he appreciates the beauty of God's handiwork here in this material existence taking it as an indication of how wondrously beautiful the spiritual sky must be.
Just like I am currently here in the Sierra Madre Mountains in Monterrey, Mexico engaged in a very busy three days of sharing the deathless nectar of Krishna bhakti with the wonderful people of Mexico. Overlooking a picturesque courtyard half way up a beautiful mountain I was happy to get a wireless connection for uploading and downloading emails to and from my dear students throughout the world.
Writing Emails
The Sierra Madre Mountain Range
After giving a class on Krishna consciousness to a small gathering it was then down the mountain into the heart of Monterrey to appear on the "Café Politico" talk show on radio station "Radionúcleo Morena" hosted by Lic. Hector Covarubias y Quiroga. Hector was a wonderful talk show host. He was very eager to learn from the vast storehouse of Vedic wisdom that I represent. The talk show is focused on political topics. When I explained the proper of understanding of separation of church and state, he was so impressed he took notes on what I had stated.
Conducting a radio interview in Monterrey, Mexico
Separation of church and state means that the state should not be in favor of one particular religion. This does not mean that the state should be against religion. The state must promote religious principles because it is the duty of the government leaders to make sure that all of the citizens are becoming free from the cycle of birth and death. It is duty of the government to promote the following religious principles:
1. Cleanliness
2. Austerity
3. Mercy
4. Truthfulness
Also the government should see that the religious leaders are not hypocrites. Those who claim to be Christians must actually be following Lord Jesus Christ. Those who claim to be Muslims, must actually be following prophet Muhammad. Those who claim to be Vaisnavas must actually be following Lord Krishna. And so on...
Here is a sample video clip from this ecstatic interview with Hector:
http://www.backtohome.com/video/radio.show.wmv
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Not Hate Anybody?
Is it true that we must not hate anybody?
Sunil R Vaswani
from Mumbai, India
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Answer: Devotee Naturally Loves...
It's not a question of being required to not hate anyone. A person who is fixed in Krishna will naturally not hate anyone because he feels unlimited love for all living beings.
yas tu sarvani bhutany
atmany evanupasyati
sarva-bhutesu catmanam
tato na vijugupsate
"He who sees systematically everything in relation to the Supreme Lord, who sees all living entities as His parts and parcels, and who sees the Supreme Lord within everything never hates anything or any being." Sri Isopanisad Mantra 6
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Monterrey, Mexico
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Today's Thought:
Enlightening Conversation at the Houston Airport
What is the meaning of that marking on your forehead?", the curious, friendly woman at the Continental Airplanes counter asked us at the boarding gate for our flight from Houston, Texas to Monterrey, Mexico. When I explained that it is the sign of someone who has conquered over death, she was amazed. She asked if I had conquered over death and I told her I had. Then I told her that I could teach her how to conquer over death also.
She then wanted to know if this was Hinduism. and I explained to her that this is religion in its original, pure form. I told her, "Just as we human beings have artificially divided the planet earth into so many nations and then we fight over the so-called boundaries, we have in the same way taken the original pure form of Religion and divided it into so many so-called religions over which we fight and sometimes even kill one another. We are teaching the original pure form of knowing and living the truth which enables one to become completely free from all forms of anxiety."
"But I am already free from anxiety," she countered.
I pointed out, "Yes, you are free from anxiety right now, but we are teaching a system of how to be free from anxiety even when it comes to you."
This made sense to her because she understood that anxieties do come to all of us. She was very favorably impressed with our philosophy and joyfully accepted my invitation card for joining our free e-course, the Ultimate Self Realization Course. Hopefully she will sign up and take this process seriously. This will be my greatest happiness.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Who Will Save Us from Kali Yuga?
Can you tell me is this Kali Yuga? What is the significance of Krishna in the Kali Yuga? In the Bhagavad-gita Krishna says:
yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham
"Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion -- at that time I descend Myself."
But in Kali Yuga we see that religious principles are destroyed. We need a prophet to help us. Who will come to save us from the Kali Yuga?
Nidheesh
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Answer: Krishna...
Kali Yuga is the present age of quarrel and hypocrisy. It began 5,000 years ago, and it destroys all the good qualities of the human beings. But to relieve us from the crippling effects of this age, Krishna very kindly appears in the form of ISKCON, the Hare Krishna Movement, to save us from the devastating effects of this age.
Krishna also sends the prophet, the bona fide spiritual master, to rescue those sincere souls who want to escape the influence of this age and return to their original home in the Spiritual Sky. Anyone who fully surrenders themselves at the lotus feet of the bona fide spiritual master becomes spiritually perfect and is saved from the influence of this degrading age.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Austin, Texas
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Today's Thought:
The Ultimate Bliss--Sharing this Knowledge
It's 5:24am on 4 November 2006. We arrived safely last night from Amsterdam. Since our goal is to bring about the re-spiritualization of the entire human society, it was very enlivening for us that many people we met along the way wanted to know about our lifestyle and philosophy. We explained to them as much as possible as far as time permitted and then encouraged them to sign up for the Ultimate Self-Realization Course.
We encourage all of our students to be enthusiastic to share this ultimate knowledge with everyone that they meet. One of my disciples, Bhaktivinode Das, has especially taken this instruction to heart. Although working a full time job as an industrial engineer, he uses his free time to distribute Srila Prabhupada's books. Here is a recent report I received from him:
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My dear Srila Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Srila Gurudeva, I have started including a flyer for your e-course in every book I distribute. This idea given by you is very amazing. With that flyer, the people not only get Srila Prabhupada's and Krishna's mercy, they also come in contact with a bona fide guru. Today, I was trying to distribute a book to one man, he was listening and he looked at your e-course flyer from www.ultimateselfrealization.com and read your words ".....completely free from all anxieties" and said that if these words are true, he will dedicate his life for these teachings and bought a Bhagavad Gita. Your flyer simply made him buy the Bhagavad Gita and I encouraged him to contact you for guidance. His name is Eddie. He wanted to come to the Atlanta temple for Sunday and said that he will surely dedicate his life for these teachings.
I am keeping in touch with another lady, who bought 8 books is very, very inspired by the teachings and keeps thanking me for the books. She has enrolled in your e-course and is reading all your daily lessons. She keeps appreciating the depth of Srila Prabhupada's teachings. She wanted to give me extra donation for the books and your travel expenses and I will send her donation amount to you online.
Srila Gurudeva, I am feeling that there is nothing more ecstatic than preaching and I pray to you and Krishna that they become devotees very soon. Thank you Srila Gurudeva, you are encouraging me to distribute the mercy of Lord Caitanya. I feel so blissful to hear them appreciate Krishna Consciousness. It is really amazing to see and hear from souls who are so thirsty and ready to become devotees.
Your aspiring servant,
Bhaktivinode das
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I can assure you that you will find no greater satisfaction anywhere throughout the totality of existence than by sharing this sublime knowledge of the Bhagavad-gita with everyone that you meet. Why is that? Because when you share this knowledge you attract the special mercy of Krishna. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita as follows:
ya idam paramam guhyam
mad-bhaktesv abhidhasyati
bhaktim mayi param krtva
mam evaisyaty asamsayah
na ca tasman manusyesu
kascin me priya-krttamah
bhavita na ca me tasmad
anyah priyataro bhuvi
"For one who distributes this knowledge of the Bhagavad-gita, the topmost spiritual perfection, pure devotional service, is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me. There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear."
---Bhagavad-gita 18.68-69
If you would also like to distribute books of transcendental wisdom and receive the Lord's special blessings, kindly inform me and I will help you get started. Write me at: sda@backtohome.com
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Doubts of Friends and Relatives...
I have been practicing Krishna consciousness for the past few years and been trying to the follow the instructions given by senior devotees at the temple.
I have following doubts that most of my friends and relatives ask:
1) One must not waste too much time in repeating the names of Gods and instead direct his energies towards some useful work.
2) One should drink tea and coffee to keep the body warm in cold conditions. Also tea and coffee are required to cure headaches and body pain.
3) Not eating meat in youth to keep the body strong will have adverse affect in old age , as body requires good nutrition.
4) Onions and garlic are very much required for body as they are helpful in building immune system against diseases.
5) Fasting may cause serious health problems like gas formation, headache, weakness in body. One should not punish himself in the name of God.
6) If a person is too religious, he may lose importance in society and people will not respect him.
7) One should take up devotional service only when he has completed his duty of serving his family. i.e. he should take it only when he is 50 years old.
8) Too many restrictions on eating and drinking habits would make life miserable and such a person cannot lead a normal life.
9) One must always work hard to catch up with others in this competitive world or else he will be left behind.
10) Hard work will bestow success and success will bring happiness.
11) One must worship God in the morning for few minutes and carry on his day to day work. Too much spending time on it would affect productivity and cannot find time for self, family and friends.
I kindly request you to provide your valuable guidance.
Your student
Prashant
Bangalore, India
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Answer: Have You Ever Met a Happy Ass?...
Here are your points with our responses:
1) One must not waste too much time in repeating the names of Gods and instead direct his energies towards some useful work.
Answer: Chanting God's names is the ultimate useful work because it uplifts the chanter and it uplifts the world atmosphere.
2) One should drink tea and coffee to keep the body warm in cold conditions. Also tea and coffee are required to cure headaches and body pain.
Answer: Hot herbal tea is okay. Caffeine is injurious to the health because it artificially stimulates the adrenal gland and wears it out.
3) Not eating meat in youth to keep the body strong will have adverse affect in old age, as the body requires good nutrition.
Answer: The human body is not designed by nature to eat meat. Thus meat eating causes so many health problems. All nutritional values can easily be derived from a healthy, delicious, uplifting diet of fruits, vegetables, milk products, and grains. The karma from eating the flesh of innocent creatures obliges the meat eater to become an animal in his next birth so that the very animals he ate in this lifetime can take human forms and eat him. Thus meat eating is the activity of those who are in ignorance and it keeps them bound up in ignorance.
4) Onions and garlic are very much required for body as they are helpful in building immune system against diseases.
Answer: The Manu Smriti enjoins that onions and garlic are not to be eaten. Milk is the miracle food for making the body strong.
5) Fasting may cause serious health problems like gas formation, headache, and weakness in the body. And one should not punish himself in the name of God.
Answer: Overeating and obesity are major health problems in the world today. Vaisnavas do not punish their bodies by severe fasting. We moderately fast on certain holy days to honor the scriptural injunctions, to reduce unnecessary and unhealthy bodily fat, and to make more food available for those who are going hungry.
6) If a person is too religious, he may lose importance in society and people will not respect him.
Answer: If a person is pseudo religious, he becomes a disturbance. But those who are properly religious are recognized throughout history as the greatest leaders of humanity.
7) One should take up devotional service only when he has completed his duty of serving his family. i.e. he should take it only when he is 50 years old.
Answer: The family will always demand more and more service. The train runs on two tracks. Therefore along with our worldly duties we must faithfully perform our spiritual duties. We have served millions of families in millions of lifetimes and we are still caught up in samsara. If we continue to do what we've always done, we will continue to get what we've always gotten: a material body that is subject to birth, death, old age, and disease. Is it enough? A thoughtful person does not think so. He wants eternity, knowledge, and bliss, and therefore must break away from the bonds of material service by coming to the higher platform of spiritual service. One who serves on the spiritual platform renders the highest service to all living beings. He is not deficient in any way.
8)Too many restrictions on eating and drinking habits would make life miserable and such a person cannot lead a normal life.
Answer: Unrestricted eating and drinking creates in a person a miserable animalistic mentality and obliges him to become an animal in his next birth. Extreme restrictions are also not favorable. Moderate restrictions are enjoined in the Bhagavad-gita in order to free one from all material miseries.
9) One must always work hard to catch up with others in this competitive world or else he will be left behind.
Answer: Transcendentalists work with more energy than materialists because their work is unlimitedly enlivening. It is not like the drudgery of the materialists, who struggle through their work week.
10) Hard work will bestow success and success will bring happiness.
Answer: Have you ever met a happy ass?
11) One must worship God in the morning for few minutes and carry on his day to day work. Too much spending time on it would affect productivity and cannot find time for self, family and friends.
Answer: If you consider self, family, and friends more important than God, kindly do not mind if we have to speak the truth, but you are a blind fool. You have been serving self, family, and friends through millions of lifetimes and you are still suffering in this material existence. Read again the answer to number 7. When you water the root of the tree, all the leaves and branches are nourished. When you surrender fully to Krishna, you render the best possible service to everyone. No one is neglected.
Thank you very much for asking for our responses to the above typical material attitudes. We hope this will be helpful to you.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Austin, Texas
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Today's Thought:
Transcendental Realizations Over the Atlantic
We are somewhere over the Atlantic ocean heading from Amsterdam to Minneapolis where we will catch an onward flight to Austin, Texas for an overnight stop before we proceed on the Monterrey, Mexico for several days of spreading the ultimate self-realization science there. In spite of the annoying jet engine noise, with the help of earplugs and a headset I am able to relish hearing the sweet sound of the Siksastakam sung by my spiritual master, His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. While absorbing myself in this ultimate nectar I ponder the incredible mercy that I have undeservedly received.
I cannot even begin to properly estimate my unlimited good fortune. This transcendental existence bestowed upon me by Srila Prabhupada is the greatest treasure that could ever be gained anywhere throughout the vast totality of existence. He is lovingly giving me back my long lost svarupa, my original eternal identity that I have in the Spiritual Sky but have forgotten. And he is engaging me in rescuing as many souls as possible to bring them back to their original spiritual existence in that wondrous Spiritual Sky.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: How to Get Up?
I have an important question. If we fall down in devotional service for any reason, especially due to the influence of maya , how can we fight back?
How can we get up if we fall down? I know that defeats are stepping stones towards victory, but how can we resolve to achieve the ultimate victory of Krishna prema, pure love of Godhead?
Vishal
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Answer: Failure is the Pillar of Success...
Srila Prabhupada explains that failure is the pillar of success, especially in spiritual life. You must capitalize on whatever failures you have by seeing what went wrong, how it wrong, and how you can protect and prevent yourself from ever making that same mistake again.
In this connection is it stated in the concluding verse of the Bhagavad-gita:
yatra yogesvarah krsno
yatra partho dhanur-dharah
tatra srir vijayo bhutir
dhruva nitir matir mama
"Wherever there is Krishna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality. That is my opinion."
--Bhagavad-gita 18.78
So if you will you simply pick yourself up with renewed determination taking full shelter of the teachings expounded in that supreme conversation of all conversations, the Srimad Bhagavad-gita, you will surely be blessed by the divine presence of Sri Arjuna and Sri Krishna and you will be victorious henceforward in your struggle to defeat the material energy.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Today's Thought:
Difficulties--A Golden Opportunity
This material world is described in the Bhagavad-gita as duhkhalayam, a place of misery. By living here we get daily first hand experience of the reality of this description. In spite of the fact that no one wants to get sick, get old, or die, everyone is forced to endure these miseries. Plus there are innumerable other miseries caused by the mind, other living beings, and nature.
So what can be done about all this suffering? In the Bhagavad-gita Lord Krishna declares that we have to be tolerant of the dualities of material existence.
matra-sparsas tu kaunteya
sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah
agamapayino 'nityas
tams titiksasva bharata
"O son of Kunti, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed." Bhagavad-gita 2.14
Even the body of a fully self-realized soul gets sick, gets old, and dies. Even such a soul has to face so many impediments caused by nature and other living beings. Therefore we must patiently endure so many difficult circumstances while we engage ourselves in serving the Lord's mission. These difficulties are a golden opportunity for us to endear ourselves to the Lord because the more we are willing to take trouble in executing the purpose of the Lord, the more we become recognized by the Lord. Difficulties are therefore welcomed by those who are learned in the transcendental science.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Writing the Weekly Lesson at the Riga Airport accompanied by Abhinanda Das.
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Who Created Krishna?
Krishna has stated that He is the creator of the entire cosmic manifestation, that everything has originated from Him, and that He is the cause of all causes.
My question is, "Who is the creator of Krishna? How has He originated?"
Your sincerely,
Purnendu Baroowa
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Answer: Krishna...
Since Krishna is the origin of everything, He is the origin of Himself. He is self-manifested. He manifests Himself for the sheer pleasure of existing and emanates countless numbers of living beings from Himself to expand His enjoyment by having loving relationships with them. If He had some creator other than Himself, Krishna would not be the origin of everything. He would not be God. But since He is God, He has no origin other than Himself.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Today's Thought:
The Heaviest Responsibility
As more and more of my students around the world are approaching me expressing their desire to become my initiated disciples, I am realizing more and more how heavy is this service given to me by spiritual master, His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. There is no more serious responsibility than to take charge of making sure that a person goes back to home, back to Godhead.
I know that on my own I have no qualification for this most weighty of all tasks. Therefore I am simply bowing down at the feet of Srila Prabhupada and begging for his most merciful benediction that I may be fully empowered by him to successfully carry out this duty.
mukham karoti vacalam
pangum langhayate girim
yat krpa tam aham vande
sri-gurum dina-taranam
"I offer respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master Srila Prabhupada, the representative of the eternal parampara, who has delivered the most fallen, and by whose mercy the lame can cross over mountains and the dumb can speak eloquently."
I know that only by his grace will this be possible.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Atma, Jiva, Prana...
1. Can you please explain the difference between Atma, Jiva and Prana?
2. When we say that a person is suffering or enjoying, 'who' is actually suffering or enjoying?
Your student
Milind
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Answer: Jiva Floats within Prana...
Atma is the Spirit-Soul. This term is more or less synonymous with jiva, the living entity. The atma and the jiva and are the same. Prana is the life air that is flowing within the material body. In our conditioned state of consciousness, the atma or the jiva is situated in the body floating within the prana, the life air.
The jiva, the atma is the one who is suffering or enjoying. If he misidentifies with matter, he suffers. If he remembers his spiritual nature and acts accordingly, he factually enjoys unlimited bliss.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Wednesday 1 November 2006
from Riga, Latvia
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New Video Clip:
Introducing the Self-Realization Science in Riga, Latvia
http://www.backtohome.com/video/riga-lecture.wmv
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Today's Thought:
On the Road Again for Krishna
Today I am heading out again on the road via Amsterdam carrying many sweet memories in my heart of these last two months of spreading the ultimate bliss in many areas of Europe. And to think that I can do this for all of eternity...what an enlivening thought!
Upon leaving this body I will simply be on the road once again traveling to another destination where I can share the unlimited glories of our beautiful, sublime Lord Krishna with His part-and-parcel expansions, the living beings. Whether I am in this universe or that universe, this dimension or that dimension, my business is the same. I have nothing else to do except to hear, chant, and remember the transcendental names, fame, forms, pastimes, entourage, paraphernalia, qualities, abode, and teachings of that wondrously attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Spiritual Life, a Razor's Edge?
Why when Krishna descends do all of His Vishnu Tattva expansions enter in His body? Is Krishna Himself not sufficient?
Also in one of Srila Prabhupada's lectures I heard that spiritual life is like a razor's edge. If not carefully dealt with, it will cause harm. Could you kindly explain?
Your student,
Kishan
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Answer: Slight Inattention, One Can Fall Down...
Lord Krishna is fully self-sufficient. He requires nothing else. All of His Vishnu-tattva expansions are eternally existing within Him. He does not depend on Them. They depend on Him.
It is a fact that trying to become a fully self-realized Krishna conscious being while living in this material world is just like shaving with a straight-edge razor. When one is shaving, if one is even a little inattentive there can be blood. Similarly, even if one is slightly inattentive in their devotional practices they can fall away from the path and become dangerously implicated once again in the cycle of repeated birth and death.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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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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