Devotees Vaishnavas: Today's Thought

domingo, 1 de febrero de 2009

Today's Thought - February 2009

Pensamiento-del-dia

Sankarshana Das Adhikari

An Appeal for Your Help

On the order of his spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, Sankarshan Prabhu has dedicated his life for the most urgent work of spreading Krishna consciousness all over the world. The more that Krishna consciousness spreads, the more that the suffering, scarcity, and hate on this planet will be replaced with bliss, abundance and love. This is a golden opportunity for us to do the highest good for all living beings and receive the special blessings of the Lord. Therefore we should, as much as possible, sacrifice our time, energy, and resources to assist Sankarshan Prabhu in his most important work. If you would like to help out to any extent, little or big, kindly inform Sankarshan Prabhu of your desire.

Saturday 28 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

Do You Want to Be Free?

Are you tired of being a slave of samsara, the wheel of birth, death, old age, and disease? Are you willing to do whatever it takes to get out of this wheel? If so, you are in the right place at the right time. My spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, has blessed me with the sublime formula by which every living being in the entire universe (Yes, there is life on other planets.) can be delivered from the cycle of birth of death. And he ordered me to freely share it with you. All you have to do to revive your original state of divine consciousness in perfect loving harmony with the Supreme Person is to regularly chant His holy names:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

Chant these sublime names every day as much as possible and you will feel the difference. You will gradually awaken more and more the unlimitedly blissful divine consciousness within you.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

George Harrison Chanting
Hare Krishna Japa

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How Chanting Releases from Karma?

Our scriptures say a spirit gets into the cycle of birth and death based on the past karma. And this cycle will not end until and unless the spirit gets cleansed of its own karmic results. Then how chanting of Krishna's holy name will help a spirit to overcome the woes in the present cycle (life)? This claim, if so, goes against the law of karma Sri Krishna himself proclaimed in Bhagavad-gita.

Can you please elucidate?

Warm regards,

Sasidharan R

Mumbai, India

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Answer: By Krishna's Special Mercy

While it is karma which keeps us in the cycle of birth and death, it was envy of God, not karma, which got us caught up here in the first place. Krishna confirms in the Bhagavad-gita that if we surrender to Him He will release us from our karma. Just as the president can grant a pardon and release a person from prison even if he was not qualified by the rules of the prison to be released, in a similar way Krishna will release from the wheel of karma anyone who surrenders unto Him even if their karma dictates that they must remain in the cycle of birth of death. Because the law of karma is acting under the energy of Krishna, He has the power to override it and release anyone from it who has surrendered unto Him. Krishna is not under the law of karma. He is over the law of karma.

Since Krishna orders us to chant His names, when we agree to seriously take up the regular chanting of the Hare Krishna mahamantra we are surrendering ourselves unto Krishna and become qualified by His special mercy for release from the wheel of karma.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Friday 27 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

Understanding the Supreme Person

Some people argue that there is no Supreme Person. But their argument is baseless and illogical. To understand how there must be a Supreme Person kindly consider these points:

Does everyone have the same amount of wealth? No. Everyone has a different amount of wealth. I may have $10. You may have $100. Someone may have $1,000,000. Somewhere within the vast expanse of existence there is a person who has more wealth than anyone else. Similarly everyone has different amounts of strength, beauty, knowledge, renunciation, and fame. When we can locate that person who exceeds all others in power, beauty, renunciation, knowledge, wealth, and fame we have found the Supreme Person.

To argue that there is no Supreme Person is to say that everyone has the same quantity of power, beauty, renunciation, knowledge, wealth, and fame. Since this is obviously not true, we can logically, philosophically, scientifically understand that the Supreme Person MUST exist. The next step is to meet Him.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

The Amazingly Beautiful Supreme Person
Lord Sri Krishna

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: What Makes You Different?

What makes you any different than any other intolerant religious group?

John

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Answer: Why Different? We are All One Family.

I am not a group. I am an individual who has realized the Absolute Truth. I respect every living creature as my brother since we are all children of the same Supreme Father. Whether you call Him Krishna, Allah, or Jehovah is not an issue. One's spiritual progress is not measured by what group they associate with or by what name they choose to address the Supreme Person. Each individual's spiritual progress is understood by how much they have become a lover of God and by how much they are therefore naturally disinterested in material sense gratification.

There are other people who have had personal realizations similar to mine. I like to stay in touch with them because through their association I am able to deepen my personal realizations more and more. For the sake of ease of association we have banded together as a family known as the Hare Krishna Movement, formally known as ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Being a member of this amazing global family does not mean that one gives up his brain. Rather I have experienced that being connected with ISKCON has a brain enhancing effect. It's something like associating with guitar players to become a better guitar player. It's quite cool actually.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Thursday 26 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

Millions of Light Years Beyond Birth and Death

There is no reason to continue suffering for another minute in this material existence. Take the special mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and immediately come to the transcendental platform by taking complete shelter of the most sublime mahamantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Call out these names in a mood of humble submission and your heart will be filled with transcendental bliss situated millions of light years beyond the cycle of birth and death. If you don't believe it, just try it, and you'll see what I mean.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Taking Off on the Mahamantra
in Timisoara, Romania

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Conquering Sex Desire

What should a devotee do when sex desires come to his body? Such a situation is quite difficult and dangerous. Do you have some emergency method when sex desires attack the body and mind?

Is it that only males are prone to be sexually agitated upon seeing an opposite sex, or that it's a common problem which obsesses male and female?

Your student

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Answer: Call Out to Madan Mohan

When Cupid attacks you with his arrows of lust call out to Krishna by His name of Madan Mohan. Madan means Cupid and Mohan means attractor. So Krishna, the attractor of Cupid, will attract Cupid away from you if you will feelingly call out to Him. After doing this if your mind and body are still disturbed by lust, you must then call out to Madan Mohan with greater intensity begging for His protection. And if even in spite of this you are still disturbed you should then call out to Madan Mohan with even greater intensity. In this way by amplifying your bhakti you will be able to overpower the lust in your mind and body. You will then experience the higher taste of Krishna consciousness and relish it as being much more satisfying than any sort of temporary sexual gratification.

Sex attraction works both ways. Men are infatuated by women and women by men. Sex attraction is the most powerful manifestation of the material energy. One must therefore remain always very careful not to be carried by it. Indulgence in illicit sex is the most destructive enemy on the path of self-realization. Although sex may be used in Krishna's service for procreation, all other forms of sexual indulgence must be strictly avoided.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Wednesday 25 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

Grandeur Lost When Dreams Come True

In this world we are motivated to action by our dreams of what we would like to achieve. But the difficulty is that when our dreams come true we are still not satisfied. That thing which we considered would be such a glorious achievement, when we attain it we disappointedly discover that is has lost its grandeur. In this way we are defeated again and again by the material nature. However instead of admitting our defeat we simply expand the bubbles of our dreams a little further thinking that if I can attain just a little bit more in this material world, then I will be satisfied. Those who are highly thoughtful don't try to find shelter on the quicksand of this material existence. They instead find their shelter in that place where when dreams come true the results are millions and billions of times greater than what one could have ever imagined or expected.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Revealing the Higher Truth
of Krishna Consciousness in Russia

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Does Krishna Love Us?

Does Krishna have any love for the souls residing in the material world?

Raghav
IIT Madras

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Answer: More Than We Can Begin to Imagine

Krishna loves us more than we can begin to imagine. We are His beloved children. That's why He comes here again and again to try to save us. The problem is that we do not take advantage of His love and accept His invitation to return to our original home in the spiritual world. This is our defect. Thus we can understand that those who try to blame God for their suffering in this material world are delusioned.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Tuesday 24 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

Make a World Revolution Now

Our goal is to pull off a world revolution, not with guns and bombs, but by giving the people in general enlightened education of the relationship between the individual self and the Supreme Self. An all-encompassing world-wide spiritual revolution is desperately needed now more than ever for this human society, which is drifting further and further away from the God-centered conception of existence. Because we have drifted so far off center we are experiencing ever-increasing turbulence, chaos, and misery on this planet. In spite of all of our technological advancement people are suffering more now than ever before because we are so much out of harmony with the laws of nature and God. The politicians promise to solve the problems but always end up failing to deliver on their promises because they do not have the slightest idea how to actually solve the world's problems. Therefore enlightened teachers are required in every town, city, and village who can properly educate the people of their vicinity how to live in a state of perfect harmony with the Supreme Person, or God according the topmost scientific knowledge revealed in the Bhagavad-gita.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Planting the Seeds of Spiritual Revolution
with the Youth of Lithuania

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Humility

From China

Dear teacher:

Please accept my most humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Humility means to think oneself as very low, and to be ready to offer all respects to others without expecting any respect for himself. Does it include always appreciating and glorifying other devotees' devotional service, without feeling that "I'm doing better service than him"?

Your most humble servant,
Yechen

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Answer: Always Appreciate the Other Devotees

Srila Prabhupada taught us to always consider that the other devotees are more advanced that we are by addressing them as "Prabhu", which means "master." So the answer to your question is yes. We should always appreciate and glorify the other devotees and the service they render without proudly thinking that we are superior to them.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Monday 23 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

Break Through to the Other Side of Reality

Those who put their full faith in the words of guru and Krishna and thus fully absorb themselves 24/7 in Krishna consciousness qualify themselves to break through the multi-layered coverings of the material universe and enter to the other side of reality, that amazingly sublime spiritual sky where life is eternal and all forms of misery and ignorance are conspicuous by their absence. The Dr. Frogs who scoff at the very idea that such a place exists are relegated by the laws of nature to remain here transmigrating endlessly in the 8,400,000 species constantly enduring the fourfold miseries of birth, death, old age, and disease. If this is what they want, they can have it. I would rather enjoy an eternal life of full freedom, bliss, and knowledge than to be a prisoner of the chains of material existence.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Goloka Vrindavan:
The Topmost Planet in the Spiritual Sky

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Become Self-Realized?

I have a question regarding my subtle attachment to my body as being me. Intellectually I have understood that I am not the body but the soul, as said by Lord Krishna in Bhagavad-gita. But how am I to realize it actually? In other words how does the realization of who I am become factually experienced?

With kind regards,
Satish

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Answer: Full Surrender to Guru and Krishna

You can only realize who you are by full surrender to Lord Krishna under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master, that guru who presents the Bhagavad-gita As It Is without any distortion.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Sunday 22 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

Baffled Dr. Frog

There is a type of logic known as kūpa-maṇḍūka-nyāya, the logic of the frog in the well. This refers to the mundane logicians who are compared to a Dr. Frog, who lived in a three feet wide well and proudly thought that his well was the biggest body of water in the entire world. When a friend frog who had seen the Atlantic Ocean excitedly hopped over to Dr. Frog's well to inform him that there was a body of water much bigger than his well, he could not believe it. "A body of water bigger than my well? That is preposterous!" When the other frog insisted that it was much bigger than his well Dr. Frog puffed his chest out and inquired, "Is it this much bigger than my well?" His friend replied, "No, Dr. Frog, it's much bigger than that." Amazed, Dr. Frog puffed his chest out even further and inquired, "Is it this much bigger than my well?" to which the other frog replied, "No, Dr. Frog, it is much, much bigger than that!" Baffled, Dr. Frog puffed out his chest even further only to have it explode at which point he dropped dead.

So when it comes to those things that are beyond our experience we should not foolishly cling onto our own limited knowledge and experience. Rather we should hear and learn from those who have greater knowledge and experience than we do. In this way we will easily expand our understanding of reality.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Cause of Suffering?

Are you sure that suffering is a lack of Krishna Consciousness?

Regards,

Henry

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Answer: Lack of Krishna Consciousness

It is a fact that our suffering is due to a lack of Krishna consciousness. Whether I am sure or not does not matter. This remains as an unalterable fact. When we revive our original Krishna consciousness we attain a state of unlimited peace, love, and happiness.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Saturday 21 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

We Do Not Present Our Own Opinion

From time to time some of our readers will write in to inform us that we are wrong on different points. According to them they have a higher, more accurate understanding of what is true than what we are presenting. One reader wrote in to tell us that we are crazy if we believe that the spirit-souls in this material world transmigrate through the 8,400,000 species. They speak to us as if we are presenting our own opinion, and then they present their opinion, which they consider to be far more enlightened than ours. What they fail to understand is that we are not presenting our own opinions here. We are presenting the conclusion given in the authoritative Vedic literatures and confirmed by the great Vedic authorities who guided the world civilization for thousands of years. We are simply messengers for the explanations given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source of all existence. If they want to continue dreaming that they have a better understanding of reality than the person who created it, that is their prerogative. But we are not such fools to consider that we know more than the Supreme Omniscient Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Regarding Initiation

I have a couple of questions regarding initiation.

I had been a Buddhist the last 4 years under a Tibetan Lama, before I came across the books of Swami Prabhupada. These books have had a powerful impact on my life. They inspired me to begin chanting 20 rounds of the Maha mantra daily. I wish to earnestly pursue the path of Krishna consciousness. What are the requirements for initiation? How should I go about pursuing this?

Felix

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Answer: We Will Happy to Accept You

For initiation you must chant at least 16 rounds daily of the Hare Krishna mantra on japa beads and follow these principles:

1. No illicit sex
2. No meat eating
3. No intoxication
4. No gambling

If you live near an ISKCON center, you should go there regularly to attend the classes and render volunteer service. This will greatly enhance your getting ready for initiation. Our normal procedure is take recommendation from someone who is seeing your progress. When the devotees who are seeing your progress recommend that you are steady enough in your practice of Krishna consciousness to be initiated, we will be happy to accept you as our initiated disciple with the performance of an initiation fire sacrifice ceremony and awarding you with a spiritual name.

Do you live near an ISKCON center?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Friday 20 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

Money, Money, Money

Nowadays people have become maddened by the pursuit of money, money, money. They think that they can purchase happiness by accumulating a large quantity of money. But of what value is this money? Practically it has no value. It is paper only. What has real value is food, water, clothing, and shelter. Can we eat, drink, wear, or make a house out of money? No. This is not possible. But yet we have a created an artificial economic system which is based on this valueless paper. What we are really dependent upon are the natural gifts given by God: fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products, cotton, wool, silk, wood, gold, jewels, stones, etc. So we should not be so carried away by accumulation of money. We should focus on developing our Krishna consciousness more and more. Krishna will make sure that our material needs are met. And we should simply acquire whatever money is needed for taking care of our basic needs. Whatever money we may have beyond that should be utilized to spread the Krishna consciousness movement all over the world. This will bring factual happiness in the human society, not the accumulation of some pieces of paper.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Fire and False Ego

My question to you today: Is fire subtler than water?

Also, you once replied to my query regarding the sevenfold coverings of the material world. In that answer you had mentioned that the final, seventh, and densest covering is the false ego. I would like to know exactly what is this covering of false ego? I would like to know this because false ego is not something material whereas all other coverings are material like earth, water etc.

Yours devotedly,
Avinash

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Answer: Transcend Them Through Krishna Consciousness

Yes, fire is more subtle than water. And even though the false ego is very subtle, it is also material. This false ego binds us to this material world. We can easily conquer over the false ego by awakening the real ego: I am not this body. I am spirit-soul, the eternal servant of Lord Sri Krishna. In other words by reviving our original Krishna consciousness we enter in that dimension which is far, far beyond the realm of fire and false ego.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Thursday 19 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

Don't Be Carried Away by Sex Attraction

In this material world the number one attraction is sex desire. Everywhere fulfillment of sex desire is being promoted as the road to happiness. We are being literally bombarded with the propaganda that satisfaction of sex desire is necessary, most wonderful and most desirable. We find this in popular songs, movies, magazines, bill boards, and conversations. It's all over the internet, in novels, dramas, and fashions. Even in the schools we educate our children how to have sex. The difficulty with sex is that as soon as we consider it to be the platform of happiness we are locked into the bodily conception of life, which is the very source of our misery. Therefore those who are wise do not look to sex for their happiness. They look rather to re-establishing their lost loving relationship with the Supreme Person, and thus find true and lasting happiness in His association.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How Can Anything Be Eternal?

I had asked you once how God came into existence. You had told me God is the source of all existence and thus there can be no time when he did not exist. The thing that still bothers me is how can anything have always been. How can anything have no end and no beginning? I just can't digest the term eternal. Its just not logically acceptable.

Also, the caste system in India: the brahmanas, sudras etc. They claim to have originated from religion. It's like using religion to oppress people. Here religion seems to have been coined to serve the purpose of letting the oppressors rightfully oppress other people of the so called lower caste. Kindly give your views.

With deep respect,

Sakshi

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Answer: In the Same Way that Yesterday and Tomorrow Exist

If yesterday and tomorrow are not illogical, then day before yesterday and day after tomorrow are also not illogical. So if you keep on adding another day after another day in each direction, you have eternity. Therefore it is illogical to think that eternity is illogical.

The current caste system in India is called asuri varnashram, demonic caste system, and it is based on birth. The original caste system in Vedic culture was called daivi varnashram or divine caste system. It was based on one's qualities and activities. It was not based on birth. The present day exploitative caste system was introduced by materialistic brahmanas who were brahmanas by birth only and not qualification. The original caste system was based on harmony, love, and co-operation of everyone working according to their natural talents for the betterment of all. The Krishna consciousness movement is dedicated to restoring the original pure caste system all over the world so that everyone can become prosperous, peaceful, and happy.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Wednesday 18 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

Guru As Good as God?

I was shocked in 1971 when I was a newcomer to the Krishna consciousness movement and His Holiness Visnujana Maharaja told me that I had accept Srila Prabhupada to be as good as God. I thought, "How can we accept a human being to be as good as God?" Although the spiritual master is God's representative, he certainly is not God. So can we take the representative to be as good as what he represents?

Consider a very mundane example in this regard. Is a policeman the government? Or is he an ordinary citizen just like us? He is an ordinary citizen. But when he's on duty he is as good as the government because he acts as the government. If we defy the order of the policeman, we are defying the government and the full weight of the government then comes upon us.

So the policeman, although an ordinary citizen, is empowered by the government to act as the government. In the same way the spiritual master is empowered to act as good as God in blessing his disciples and lovingly directing them along their pathway back to home, back to Godhead.

In conclusion, seeing the spiritual master as good as God is not some overly emotional sentiment of the neophytes. It is the cherished realization of those who are advanced in the science of bhakti.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How Can I Better Serve You?

My dear and respected Gurudeva,

I have been very pleased with the Sankirtana mission of preaching and distributing books that you have allowed me to perform. By the grace of your merciful lotus feet, and the great help of Sri Krishna, I have been able to do it. It is my great desire to be sufficiently qualified to impart Krishna Consciousness by means of the texts of Srila Prabhupada. In addition, I am very happy to have a guru so qualified and merciful as you. Infinite obeisances at your lotus feet. I would like to humbly know what I should do. Tell me how I can better serve you.

Your servant,

Bhaktin Paola

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Answer: Serious Sadhana and Preach As Much As Possible

Thank you very much for your sincere dedication to guru and Krishna and to the spreading of the Sankirtana movement. This gives the greatest pleasure to Srila Prabhupada and to Lord Sri Krishna.

Your desire to serve guru is first class. This is the secret of success in spiritual life. Take your sadhana very seriously by strictly following our regulative principles and chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra on japa beads every day without fail. When you chant your japa, dive deeply into the holy names with full concentration. Do not divert your consciousness anywhere else. When you hear the classes at your local Hare Krishna temple put your full energy into learning as much as you can from each class. When you do service to Krishna do everything in a first class way. Make sure that the temple and your living quarters are always spotlessly clean. And spend as much time as possible preaching this message and introducing others to the most wonderful books of His Divine Srila Prabhupada. If you will sincerely follow these instructions, your perfection is guaranteed.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Tuesday 17 February 2009

from ISKCON Atlanta Georgia USA
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Today's Thought:

Don't Give Up Guru's Shelter

To receive the shelter of a bona fide spiritual master is indeed the rarest of all attainments. Therefore if one is somehow fortunate to receive this greatest of all blessings, one should very carefully guard this shelter as his most valuable possession. In this material world there are many envious persons who will try to convince the devotee to give up this shelter. They will sometimes criticize and harass the devotee in many ways trying to break his faith in his spiritual master. When this happens the devotee must within his heart cling very tightly for dear life to the lotus feet of his spiritual master begging for his mercy to help him emerge victorious from this attack of the material nature.

In this regard it should be clearly understood that our greatest enemy is the uncontrolled mind. The uncontrolled mind is much worse of an enemy than even the most antagonistic of critics. It we can keep our minds under control no external influence will be able to shake our faith in guru and Krishna.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Regain Vital Force?

From: China

Dear teacher,

Please accept my most humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

According to one of the important theories of yoga, the semen is very valuable. One drop of semen is equal to 64 drops of blood. And ancient Chinese Taoist philosophy also stresses this point. Those who lost too much semen are weak, impatient, lusty, fractious, and lacking concentration and memory power. Such health state is not good for spiritual progress. I think that a devotee should only use semen to produce Krishna conscious children, he should never waste it. But for those who has already wasted too much of semen, is it necessary to do some yoga or Taoism practice to regain vital force as well as practice Krishna consciousness?

Your most humble servant,

Yechen Zhang

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Answer: Simply By Krishna Consciousness

For a man who has unfortunately wasted his semen the formula for regaining his vital force is simply to strictly follow the pathway of Krishna bhakti with no more fall downs into illicit sex. No separate endeavor is required. Simply by engaging seriously in Krishna consciousness he will get a higher taste from renunciation and naturally retain his semen. As it gradually accumulates in his body he will get increased brain power, physical strength, longevity, and determination.

Even though Mahatma Gandhi was a married man, from his 30's onwards he practiced strict celibacy. His power of determination became so great that he was able to defeat the British Empire without even firing a single gun shot. So any man who retains his semen only discharging it for producing Krishna conscious children will become a very intelligent and powerful man.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Monday 16 February 2009

from ISKCON Atlanta Georgia USA
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Today's Thought:

Go to the Proper Guru

If you want to know things as they are, you must go the proper guru. Do not waste your time with a bogus self-proclaimed guru. You must seek out and take shelter of the proper guru. Who is that proper guru? He is that saintly teacher who delivers to you purely the teachings of Lord Krishna exactly as they are spoken in the Bhagavad-gita without any addition or subtraction and who was ordered by his spiritual master to spread the Krishna consciousness movement all over the world. This is the Kali yuga, the age of cheating. Thus the world abounds with bogus gurus. Therefore you should be very careful to seek out the proper guru who can factually liberate you from the cycle of birth and death, not to one who is simply interested in liberating you from your wallet.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Meaning of Life

What's the meaning of life, the universe and everything?

Prateek's friend

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Answer: Pleasure Pastimes of the Supreme Person

The entire existence is the pleasure pastimes of the Supreme Person. We have a free choice to participate in His pleasure pastimes or to try imitate Him by having our own counterfeit pleasure pastimes. Just as counterfeit money may appear very attractive, but factually has no value, similarly our attempts to enjoy separately from the Supreme Person are in the final analysis empty and useless.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Sunday 15 February 2009

from ISKCON Atlanta Georgia USA
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Today's Thought:

Relishing the Real Nectar

In this material world everyone is looking for the nectar of unlimited peace and happiness. But unfortunately due to their being covered by ignorance they are looking in all the wrong the places. Therefore they become frustrated and confused. Instead of living in their actual identity as eternal, blissful, knowledgeable transcendental beings they are dragged through the muck of birth and death constantly suffering the variegated miseries of material existence. Just as a caterpillar that thinks of becoming a butterfly is transformed into a butterfly in the same life, if those souls who are currently caught in material existence will simply start thinking of their identities as the eternal servants of Krishna, they will awaken their dormant enlightened consciousness and thus be able to relish the sweetest nectar at every minute even in this very lifetime.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Convince Non-Devotees

There are people I am trying to convince about Krishna consciousness, but it is very difficult for them to understand the transcendental nature of Krishna, that He cannot be material because He is the source of everything.

How can I convince them? How can I improve their knowledge?

Ratan

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Answer: You Become Convinced

You will able to convince others to the extent you are convinced. So if you are not successful in convincing others, you must deepen your own conviction. You can increase your conviction by hearing from, inquiring from, and serving those who are fully convinced that Lord Sri Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that source of all existence.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Saturday 14 February 2009

from ISKCON Atlanta Georgia USA
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Today's Thought:

Have a Great Eternity

The other day when our flight was landing in Dallas the stewardess made an announcement over the airplane's public address system wishing us all a great day. I appreciated her announcement and I certainly did have a great day. But I was thinking that in this Krishna consciousness movement we have something more than a great day to offer people. We are offering them a great eternity by teaching them how to fully engage themselves in loving service to Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Why should we be only trying to have a great day every day? If we focus our energies on having a great eternity our every day will automatically be not only a great day. It will be the greatest day.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Are the Scientists Fools?

Today I was watching a television show related to birth and death of stars on the Discovery channel. It was stated that according to the scientists the stars were born because of the cluster of gases and dark matter. And then I thought about the big bang theory.

If we challenge a scientist that from where did those gases come which brought this universe into existence, his reply would be that even though this is a most challenging question to find out from where the gases came, our not knowing the answer does not mean that Krishna or God has created them.

Please let me know what is the reality. I am completely confused now. Actually I am studying science and in the 12th standard. When I compare science with the teachings of Krishna I have a lot of questions. Please do not mind my questions and kindly help me out of this confusion.

Manmohan

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Answer: Only When They Speak Foolishly, Which They Often Do

Lord Krishna has confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita that He is the origin of everything and that everything including the gases is His energy.

In fact He is origin of the scientists as well. And it is He Who is giving everyone the power to remember Him or forget Him according to their desires.

You have asked me specifically in the subject line of your email if the scientists are fools. The answer is that this depends on the individual scientist. Being a scientist does not automatically make one a fool. But if the a scientist dogmatically asserts without any proof that that there is no supreme operator of the universe, he is certainly a fool. Anyone with a little common sense can easily observe that every machine has an operator. Therefore we can rightfully conclude that the gigantic universal machine must also have an operator.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Friday 13 February 2009

from ISKCON, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Today's Thought:

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati's Appearance Day

Today is the most auspicious appearance day of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, the spiritual master of my beloved guru, Srila Prabhupada. I was here in Atlanta in 1975 with Srila Prabhupada on this day when we along with him worshipped his spiritual master. To stand there near Srila Prabhupada seeing how devotedly he offered arati to his Guru Maharaja made a deep and lasting impression upon me. It was awesome to witness his intense devotional mood. Srila Prabhupada, please bless me that as you are unflinchingly devoted to your spiritual masters that I can also be unflinchingly devoted to you.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Be Humble and Strong?

̇Respected Sir,

I touch your feet.

Sir, should a chanter of mahamantra be humble? If yes, how to be humble and at the same time talk strongly with nondevotees?

Warm regards,

Sunil

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Answer: By Love

If one is motivated by genuine compassion, one can easily be humble and strong at the same time. It is not difficult. A devotee's humility is to fully submit himself to the order of Lord Caitanya to deliver the people of this world from their suffering condition in the cycle of birth and death. This is his humble service to them. Just like one sometimes may have to yell strongly at a child to get out of the street to save him from being hit by a car, sometimes a devotee may speak strongly to someone to save him from the cycle of birth and death. This strong speaking is not done out of pride or arrogance. It is done in a mood of humble loving service to that person to try save him from his precarious predicament in the cycle of birth and death.

So in conclusion we can understand that because the devotee's humility is rooted in strong compassion his strength is his humility and his humility is his strength. In fact there is no one more humble than a devotee and no one more strong. Because of his perfectly humble service mood completely free from any personal motivation for sense gratification he can lead the entire world out of chaos.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Thursday 12 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

Make a Living or Make a Difference

You have a choice whether you would like to spend your life simply making a living or if you opt to make a powerful, positive difference in the history of this planet. Do you prefer to be someone who contributes to the ever-increasing degradation of the planetary society by your participation in its sense gratificatory culture? Or would you rather have a positive transformational effect on world history? The choice is yours. If you prefer the latter, all you have to do is join with us here in the Krishna consciousness movement. By the mercy of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, our most beloved Founder-Acharya, we have the formula and social vehicle for delivering the world from is descent into ever-increasing chaos.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Chanting or Spiritual Master?

̇Please accept my humble obeisances.

What is the most important aspect in spiritual life, is it chanting or accepting a spiritual master? Thank you for your wonderful emails, which I look forward to everyday.

Regards

Amesh Sooklal

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Answer: Both Are Most Important.

You can't separate them because pure chanting requires obedience to the spiritual master, and the spiritual master requires his disciple to develop pure chanting. Therefore both accepting a spiritual master and the chanting of the holy names are most important.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Wednesday 11 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

Patience is Required

One of the most essential qualities which must be developed in the hearts of those who are serious about perfecting the science of bhakti is the quality of patience. We have to be patient in terms of our personal progress and in terms of other's acceptance of Krishna consciousness as well. Just as we cannot expect ourselves to become immediately fully realized in Krishna consciousness, we also cannot expect others to immediately accept the principles of Krishna consciousness. So we must be patient with ourselves and patient with others also. The process of Krishna consciousness is not a one day affair. It is rather a lifetime affair. We should expect to devote our entire lives for the purpose of the full revival of our dormant love of Godhead.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Answer My Friend?

̇I have been talking to a friend of mine who simply refuses to believe in any religion. He says that Ramayana and Mahabharata are just myths. He quoted from Wikipedia, "A religion is a set of stories, symbols, beliefs and practices, often with a supernatural quality, that give meaning to the practitioner's experiences of life through reference to an ultimate power or reality." He also says, "If there is no religion, there would be peace in the world". He says that the Bhagavad-gita is just a book written by some odd person.

Please guide me on how should I answer him? How should I make him see that there is a supreme power behind everything?

Please help.

Hare Krishna

Prateek

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Answer: With Conviction and Determination

As soon as he says "any religion" we can immediately understand that he is ignorant. In spite of what you may read here and there, there is no such thing as different religions. The word "religion" comes from the Latin word "religio', which means to reconnect. So the real meaning of religion is to reconnect with the source of your existence and of all existence, i.e. the fountainhead of all energies. If your friend wants to argue that there is no source of the existence, ask him how he came into being.

Regarding the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, he has no way of proving that they are myths. This is simply his mental speculation. They are historical documents just like so many other historical documents which tell us about people and events from the past.

While cheating so-called religion certainly breeds war, genuine religion does not. Genuine religion breeds genuine peace. Check out parts of the world with a high level of atheism and see if they are peaceful. You will find that they are not. Hence, his argument is bogus. We don't have peace in the present world because genuine religion is practically non-existent on this planet. We in the Krishna consciousness movement are trying to revive it.

The Bhagavad-gita is spoken by Krishna. Your friend is therefore claiming that Krishna is odd. In the Bhagavad-gita Krishna claims that those who deride Him are fools. So now we have two counter claims. Who will be the winner of this competition? That will be seen at the time of death who was actually the fool and who actually odd.

Tell him that every machine has an operator. Have we ever seen a machine without an operator? No, we have not. Therefore we can understand the gigantic cosmic machine must also have an operator.

Try your best. Preach with conviction and determination, and Krishna will help you to defeat all opposing arguments.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Tuesday 10 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

Bliss in Spite of Miseries

No matter how we analyze it this material world is a place of miseries. It has always been that way and it will always be that day. It's a world full of material forms which take birth, get sick, get old, and die. No amount of material scientific technological advancement can put a stop to the onslaught of these material miseries. So is there any way out of this quagmire? The answer is yes. We simply have to elevate our consciousness beyond it. There is a higher plane of existence known as the spiritual plane. On that plane life is eternal, full of knowledge, and full of bliss. We can live on that plane at every minute if we are willing to do what is required for elevating our consciousness. That process of elevating our consciousness is known as the science of self realization. And the perfection of self-realization is attained when we reach the stage known as Bhagavan realization or Krishna consciousness.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How Can I Serve You?

̇In which way can I serve you? I am seeing that you are only guiding me, and not asking for anything in return, which may be selfish of me. So if you think there is something I am able to do to serve you, please let me know.

Indu Pati

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Answer: Become a Pure Devotee and Help Me Spread Krishna Consciousness

Since I am fully dedicated to serving you by training you in the science of Krishna, it is quite proper that you are thinking of how to serve me in return. This is called "reciprocation of love." I very much appreciate your sincere offer. If you are really serious about serving me, kindly dedicate your entire life for becoming a pure devotee of Krishna and assisting me in bringing about a spiritual revolution of pure Krishna bhakti on this planet for the deliverance of the fallen, conditioned souls of this age from the miseries of material existence.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Monday 9 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

Don't Miss this Rare Opportunity

Take advantage of this rare opportunity of this human form of life. There are 8,400,000 different species of life through which we are rotating lifetime after lifetime. So getting a human body is not an every day affair. This most auspicious opportunity only comes after many millions of lifetimes in the lower species. Anyone who does not utilize their human life for self-realization is making the greatest mistake. When this happens it is the greatest tragedy, and unfortunately today this neglect of the human form has become the standard behavior for the entire human society. What can be done? We must first ourselves become solidly situated in Krishna consciousness and then do the highest welfare activity of spreading it to everyone else all over the world.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Plea: Help Me

̇Help me. I am lost in life.

Shefali
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Answer: Understand Who You Are

The reason you are lost is that you do not know who you are. Because you are misidentifying yourself with the gross bag of material elements known as the material body you are sure and certain to be bewildered. The way out of your bewilderment is to understand that you are not your body, that you are instead an eternal spirit-soul servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna. With this understanding you should seriously adopt the path of devotional service to Lord Sri Krishna under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master. In this way all of your problems will be solved, and you will become one of the happiest, most intelligent people in the whole universe.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Sunday 8 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

Auspicious Initiation Ceremony

Yesterday on 7 February 2009 we held the most auspicious initiation ceremony here at Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Austin, Texas USA, bestowing 1st initiation upon Shanti, who is now Guruvani devi dasi, and giving 2nd initiation to Jagannatha das, who is now a duly qualified Vaisnava Brahman. Our first birth is from our mother and father, and our second birth at the time our initiation is from the Vedas and our spiritual master. Our first birth brings us to the animal platform of eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. And it is our second birth which brings us to the human platform by solidly situating us on the pathway back to home, back to the spiritual world, our original home.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Initiation Ceremony--7 February 2009
Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Know Krishna's Direction?

̇How do I know the work I do is directed by Lord Krishna and not by my body? How do I differentiate between the two?

With best regards,

Shrikant

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Answer: Take Shelter of Bona Fide Guru

Because of our tendency towards material sense gratification, it is very difficult to accurately discern the desire of the Lord in every situation. This is why taking shelter of a bona fide guru, a pure representative of Lord Krishna, is required. The Vedic wisdom repeatedly stresses this point. As soon as we take complete shelter of a bona fide spiritual master all of our confusion is finished. Since the spiritual master is expert in understanding how to always please the Lord in all times, places, and circumstances, we simply have to conduct our life's activities under his expert guidance, and in this way we easily become 100% aligned with the directions of the Supreme Lord. Having a spiritual master is so essential. Therefore those who have not yet taken shelter of a bona fide should do so as soon as possible so that they can be properly situated on the pathway back to home, back to Godhead.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Saturday 7 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

Lord Nityananda's Appearance Day

Today is the most auspicious appearance day of Lord Nityananda. Lord Nityananda is Balarama, the brother of Lord Krishna who descended when Krishna appeared as Lord Caitanya to assist Lord Caitanya in His pastimes of delivering the fallen, conditioned souls of this world. He is most merciful upon those who are sinful, and bestows transcendental bliss upon those who sincerely beg Him for it. A great Vaisnava Acharya, Vrindavan Das Thakur has written eight beautiful prayers describing the glories of Lord Nityananda. To meditate on these prayers bestows the highest benefit, especially on this most auspicious appearance day of Lord Nityananda.

For your enlightenment and enlivenment those verses are given below.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Eight Beautiful Verses Glorifying Lord Nityananda
By Vrindavan Das Thakur

I worship Lord Nityananda, the unlimited root of the tree of devotional service. He appears like an autumn moon, very splendid and free from any taint. Maddened with pure love for Lord Hari, His eyes constantly roll about and he walks as gracefully as an elephant. He is the Absolute Truth, His face is smiling, and holding a staff in His hand, He disperses the influence of the age of Kali.

I worship Lord Nityananda, the unlimited root of the tree of devotional service. He is the abode of the mellows of devotional service, no one can be compared to Him and He is the be all and end all for His devotees. He is the Lord of Jahnava Devi, the goddess Who considers Nityananda more dear than life. He is always maddened with pure love of Godhead and the unintelligent non-devotees cannot understand that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself.

I worship Lord Nityananda, the unlimited root of the tree of devotional service. He is very dear to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the son of Sacidevi and He is worshipped by the entire universe. He is very cheerful and He delivers the souls immersed in the Kali-yuga. By chanting the holy name of Lord Hari, He removes the false ego born from the ocean of material life.

I worship Lord Nityananda, the unlimited root of the tree of devotional service. He spoke to Lord Caitanya saying, "O, brother! The people will become infected with all the sins of Kali-yuga. How will they be able to atone for these sins? Please give them some way by which they can easily approach You."

I worship Lord Nityananda, the unlimited root of the tree of devotional service. He went to each and every house and raised His arms saying, "O, brothers! If you will, please constantly chant the holy name of Lord Hari! If you do this, you will become free from the ocean of birth and death in the material world. Please give this gift of your liberation to Me."

I worship Lord Nityananda, the unlimited root of the tree of devotional service. He is like Agastya Muni who forcibly swallows the ocean of material existence, and He is the rising full moon which is the friend of the lotus flowers and which increases the ocean, which is the welfare of the saintly devotees. He is the blazing sun which removes the darkness which is the community of demons.

I worship Lord Nityananda, the unlimited root of the tree of devotional service. He traveled on every path singing and dancing and repeating, "Hari! Hari!" Without considering His own interests, He was merciful to the people and he gave them His merciful side long glance.

I worship Lord Nityananda, the unlimited root of the tree of devotional service. He held the beautiful lotus hand of His brother, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and when They glanced at each others faces, Their hearts became full of transcendental bliss. They wandered through the towns of Bengal and delighted the people there.

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These eight verses glorifying Lord Nityananda are the abode of the mellows of devotional service and they are the wealth of the pure devotees expert at relishing these mellows. These verses are very excellent, transcendental, and unprecedented. May the two lotus feet of Lord Nityananda continually appear in the hearts of those who read these verses and remember the Lord.

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Must Guru Be Physically Present in this World?

̇You gave the example that Krishna is like the owner of the company and the spiritual master is the department head, and that after accepting employment in the company it becomes our duty to please that department head because when he is pleased the owner is pleased. In this example isn't it necessary for the department head to be alive?

So what I would like to know is if it is necessary for the spiritually master to be living in this world in the physical sense. Must the guru be in material form?

Your servant
M M Rathod
India

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Answer: For Initiation, Yes, But Not After That

I have given a crude material example which matches on some points and does not match on other points.

You are wondering whether the spiritual master must be physically present in order for the disciple to be able to have a guru/disciple relationship with him. The answer is that while initiation, the beginning point of the guru/disciple relationship, does require for the spiritual master to be physically present in this world, after initiation the physical presence of the spiritual master is not mandatory. After initiation all the disciple has to do is obediently carry out the orders given to him by his spiritual master. In this way he is always able to associate with the vibrational presence of his spiritual master and derive unlimited spiritual strength.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Friday 6 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

Don't Cheat Yourself

You are an eternal spiritual being, full of bliss and full of knowledge. Therefore you should not cheat yourself by foolishly considering yourself to be your material body. If you misidentify yourself with matter, you relegate yourself to rotate endlessly in the cycle of birth of death, sometimes as human being, sometimes as a plant, and sometimes as an animal. If however, you will fully revive your dormant state of enlightened consciousness, your Krishna consciousness, upon leaving your present material body you will immediately be transferred to your original home in the spiritual sky where you will enjoy an eternal youthful existence in the association of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna and His eternal associates. The choice is up to you which path you will take: the path of spiritual emancipation or the path of bondage. I hope you make the right choice. If you do, I am prepared to help you every step of the way.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: A Good Relationship with Krishna

̇How can we have a good relationship with Krishna, if we can't have a good relation between us human beings? Because we always have misunderstandings in our material relationship what shall we do to keep our relation with Krishna in good condition?

With all my respect

Amira

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Answer: Carefully Follow His Instructions

The reason we do not have good relations between human beings is that we do not base them on a loving relationship with Krishna. We base them instead on the selfish principle of what I can get out of this other person for my own enjoyment. In short, this is called exploitation. This exploitative non-Krishna conscious mood is the cause of all the conflict in the world today.

As soon as we surrender to Krishna we derive complete satisfaction and happiness simply from being His devotee. Therefore we no longer feel any need of trying to exploit others for our own happiness. Having a good, conflict-free relationship with Krishna is not difficult. All we have to do is carefully follow the instructions as given in the Bhagavad-gita and as confirmed by the bona fide spiritual master. Then everything becomes perfect.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Thursday 5 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

Blessed by a Pure Devotee

In this world of dualities, sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. A pure devotee is not carried away by victory or defeat. In all circumstances he fully takes shelter of Lord Sri Krishna completely trusting in Him. In this way he remains always blissful no matter what is going on around him in this material world. He is happy when he is victorious, and he is also happy even when he is defeated. Therefore there is no person more happy in this world than the pure devotee. He has perfectly connected himself with the spiritual world within and is always relishing that sweet transcendental atmosphere like anything. Just by the presence of such a pure devotee on this planet the entire world is benefited. If somehow or other we become so fortunate as to come into contact with such a pure devotee, we should bow down at his lotus feet and beg him to accept us as his disciples. This will be the perfection of our existence.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Duties in Family Life

̇I would like to ask questions on behalf of my friend:

1. What should be the mood of the parents if they plan for a Krishna Conscious child? and
2. What are the duties of a husband towards the family if the wife is not very cooperative in following spiritual life?

Regards,
Raghu

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Answer: Deliver Your Dependents

Parents who want to have a Krishna conscious child should first see that they are solidly situated on that pathway back to home, back to Godhead. In other words, they should have both taken shelter of a bona fide spiritual master and be fully surrendered to following his instructions. In this way when they try to have a child, Krishna will send a very special soul to take shelter of their association for being delivered from the cycle of birth and death.

The husband's duty is to deliver the wife back to home, back to Godhead. So if she is not very co-operative for spiritual life, he should very patiently and very compassionately try to attract her to the superior lifestyle of Krishna consciousness. Sometimes we have seen that the reluctant wife turns around and becomes more Krishna conscious than her husband.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Wednesday 4 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

Perfect Peace and Harmony

The world is hankering for peace and harmony. But the difficulty is that we are hankering for a peace and harmony in each one of us as the center of enjoyment. As soon as I try to be the center of enjoyment I am in conflict with your agenda of being the center of enjoyment. In this way long lasting peace and harmony can never become a reality. We are doomed to a never ending history of conflict and wars. In fact I remember from my student life when we were studying American history. The entire study was organized around the wars: the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War, etc. We were taught that history is a series of wars.

So if we want peace at all, a new attitude we must call. There is one supreme enjoyer, that amazing wonderful supreme person who is the source of all existence. Each of us will experience the topmost happiness, indeed an unending, ever-increasing ocean of happiness, when we agree to devote ourselves fully to giving happiness to that supreme enjoyer. In this way the entire world will enter into a state of perfect peace and harmony.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

You've Never Seen Anything Like This Before!
Check Out This Super-Enlivening Video!

http://www.backtohome.com/video/Hari_bol.mpg

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Difficulty Praying to a Man

̇I have a hard time praying to and honoring Srila Prabhupada. I find it difficult praying to a man. However, I do pray to God. How do I get better with this? Is it necessary that I pray to Prabhupada?

Your confused student

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Answer: Pray According to God's Order

Praying to God means that we should pray to Him to develop pure devotion. Praying to God for the fulfillment of material necessities is an unnecessary waste of time because He will take care of our necessities in any case.

So we should put 100% of our faith in God and try to revive our pure love for Him. Whatever God tells us to do is what we should do. This is what is truly meant by being full God conscious. And because it is confirmed in the scriptures that God is telling us to become devoted to those who are purely devoted to him, if we truly love Him, we will be happy to obey His order. We will take advantage of the association of His pure devotees like Srila Prabhupada and fully surrender ourselves to following their instructions. The pure devotees are the deliverers of the instructions which are coming from Krishna. Therefore we should honor them and obey them. And yes, we should pray to them because they can transmit to us the full blessings of Lord Sri Krishna. Krishna orders in the Srimad Bhagavatam (11.17.29): "One should always worship the spiritual master."

It is something like working in a big company. When we get hired we want to make sure that we are pleasing the owner of the company. But then he puts us under the direction of one of his department heads. It then becomes our duty to please that department head because when he is pleased the owner is pleased. If we say that we only want to report to the owner and no one else, we may find that we are out of a job.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Tuesday 3 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

Tasting the Sweetest Nectar at Every Minute

Why drink poison when you can be tasting nectar at every minute? I've been blessed with a nectar so sweet and plentiful that there's enough of it for everyone throughout the entire universe to drink unlimited quantities of it at every moment constantly relishing the most sublime taste. Seeing a world around me in which practically everyone is miserable, I have therefore fully dedicated my life to making everyone happy. And I am happy to say it is working. Every day more and more people are signing for my free e-course from all over the world. I am inviting everyone that why should you prolong your suffering in this material world for even one day longer? Immediately take up the pathway of Krishna consciousness as chalked by the greatest spiritual masters in the history of the universe. You'll have a great life!

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

George Harrison Finds Solace In Krishna Consciousness
after the Beatles Break Up

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Centeredness on Krishna

̇How can I have the blissful pure center, that I have been graced to know, be within me at all times. Chanting and meditation will bring me there. But how to keep it there at all times, that is my desire. I am slowly creeping forward in all sincerity.

Bhaktin Kathe

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Answer: Remember Him with Love

The way to always live in that blissful, pure, fully centered, and perfect state of Krishna consciousness is to always strive to give the utmost happiness to guru and Krishna by your every thought, word, and deed in all times, places, and circumstances. In other words you must always remember Krishna with love and never forget Him or find fault with Him, not even for a moment.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Monday 2 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

Dissolving the Fog of Illusion

At the present moment we are blinded by the fog of illusion. We don't know where we've come from. We don't know who we are or what is the origin or purpose of our existence. We don't know what is our destination nor how to reach it. In short, we're a mess. We're in bad shape philosophically and psychologically. But the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Sri Krishna, Who is the origin of our existence. is very merciful upon us. He appears to us in the form of His brilliant sun-like holy names so that by chanting them we can dissolve the fog of illusion and be fully situated in our original glory. This is the great blessing of Lord Caitanya's appearance in this world some 500 years ago. He came to deliver to us the sweet, pure holy names so that we can burn away the fog of illusion.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Purpose of the Universe?

̇Thanks for your daily mails. I have one of my friend's questions for you:

If the purpose of human being is to attain oneness (merge) with consciousness (i.e. universe) then what is the purpose of universe ?

Regards,
Somashekar

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Answer: Which Universe?

Which universe is he talking about? The purpose of the human being is not the merge or become one with the universe or with consciousness, which is something different from the universe. The purpose of the human being is to reawaken his loving relationship with that Supreme Person, who is the source of all consciousness and of all the universes. To inquire, "What is the purpose of the universe?" presupposes that there is only one universe. The fact is that there unlimited millions of universes within this material world, and there is a spiritual universe also. The material universes serve as places of reformation for the living entities who have fallen down from their original positions in the spiritual universe. These material universes help the fallen living beings to regain their original positions in the spiritual universe.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Sunday 1 February 2009

from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:

For the Dissipation of Doubts

One who doubts the authority of Lord Sri Krishna cannot become self-realized. Therefore for the dissipation of all doubts one is advised to study the Bhagavad-gita under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, with submissive inquiries and service. The bona fide spiritual master purely represents the previous acharyas in a line of disciplic succession from time eternal. He does not deviate from the teachings that Lord Krishna, which were presented to the sun god millions of years ago. Under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master one should carefully follow the path of the Bhagavad-gita and avoid hearing the commentaries of those who twist the words of Krishna to suit their own purposes. The devotee's only purpose is to serve the purpose of the Lord. There is no doubt that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and that His pastimes are completely transcendental. Anyone who understands this is a already a liberated person even though he may be just beginning his study of the Bhagavad-gita.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Srila Prabhupada Enlightens His Disciples

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Is Emptiness the Highest Truth?

̇Why do the Buddhists say that God (Krishna) really does not exist? They say that only emptiness exists, and nothing else. Is emptiness the highest truth?

Mario

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Answer: If It Were, You Would Not Be Inquiring

If emptiness were the highest truth, you would not exist to inquire about emptiness, nor would I exist to answer your question about emptiness. If all was emptiness, how could the Buddhists say that all is emptiness? There would be no Buddhists and thus no one to say that all is emptiness. But there are Buddhists saying that all is emptiness. Therefore their assertion is itself proof that their philosophy is absurd and thus invalid. Emptiness cannot make assertions.

The reason that in this material world people often deny God's existence using various philosophies such as the Buddhist concept of emptiness is that we all came here to this material world because we were envious of God's supreme position. Therefore it is natural that people in this material world will often deny the existence of Krishna or God.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari