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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.
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:
Don't Exploit Others
As every living being is part and parcel of Krishna, it is our duty to serve all others as a service to Lord Krishna. Our service to them is to interact with them in such a way as to best facilitate their Krishna consciousness. When we think ourselves to be the proprietors and enjoyers of all we survey, we will naturally try to exploit others for our personal self interest. Such a selfish, miserly mood will not make others happy; nor will it make us happy. Therefore the real happiness for all, including ourselves, is that we must always see who is the real proprietor and enjoyer and engage ourselves and all others in His service. This is the true formula for universal peace and brotherhood.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Self Realization and Krishna Consciousness
Are self-realization and Krishna consciousness the same thing?
D.P.
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Answer: Perfection of Self Realization
When we are in the darkness of night we cannot see anything. But when after the sun rises, we can see the sun and we can see everything. Similarly, when the sun of Krishna consciousness arises within your heart, you will fully realize who is the Supreme Self, Lord Sri Krishna. You will fully realize that you, the individual self, are not your body and that you are instead the eternal spirit-soul servant of Krishna. And you will also realize that all other selves are the eternal servants of Krishna as well. This state of pure Krishna consciousness is the perfection of self realization.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:
Do You Want to Taste the Nectar?
Do you want to taste at every minute the nectar of unlimited happiness within your heart? It is not difficult to do so, if you are willing to lay aside all the rubbish mental conditioning which has distorted your vision for countless eons of lifetimes. You need to boldly embrace an intelligent perspective about reality, which objectively takes into account what is actually going on around you.
Kindly note that we desire to live forever, but yet the laws of nature are forcing death upon us. This means that we must necessarily be not of this world. We must be creatures of another dimension where life is eternal.
If one is fortunate enough to come into contact with a liberated soul who is living in that eternal dimension of existence and he takes full advantage of that liberated soul's association, he can then regain his original position of an eternal, unlimited happy life.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Everyone is Originally a Devotee?
Dear Gurudeva,
Pranams. Thank you very much for your enlightening mails. I have a doubt which I am requesting you to please clarify for me.
Bhagavan Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita, "My devotee never fails." And He also say, "Asuras (non-devotees) will go deeper and deeper into materialism and will never reach Me." So I think the asuras could have never been devotees because this would contradict the first statement. But as I understand from your writing, it seems every one started from Vaikuntha, the spiritual world, initially and then fell down into this material world at some point. This would mean that everyone was originally a devotee. This is confusing me. Therefore I request your clarification.
Subramanian
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Answer: Yes, Even the Non-Devotees
That we are all Krishna conscious living entities in our original, natural state of consciousness is confirmed as follows by Lord Caitanya in the Sri Caitanya Caritamrita:
Jīvera svarūpa haya-kṛṣṇera nitya-dāsa
"The real identity of the living entity is that he is the eternal servant
of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
--Caitanya Caritamrita Madhya 20.108
"The real identity of the living entity is that he is the eternal servant
of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
--Caitanya Caritamrita Madhya 20.108
It is a fact, as you have stated, that the devotee never fails. And it is also a fact, as you have stated, that the asuras remain perpetually in materialism. But what you have failed to note is that this only remains true for as long as they remain asuras. When such asuras, by the mercy of the Lord's pure devotees, come to their senses and engage once again the Lord's service, they become eligible candidates for regaining their lost positions in the spiritual world as the Lord's eternal servants.
It would not make sense that some living beings would created by the Lord as asuras. This would make God a very cruel person indeed. The reality is that the Lord creates everyone as a devotee so that He can enjoy loving relationships with them. Since love is voluntary, the Lord endows each living being with the free will to love Him or leave Him. And for those who foolishly leave Him, He mercifully makes so many arrangements to attract them to voluntarily return to His service.
I sincerely hope that this has cleared up your confusion. If it is still bewildering to you, kindly inquire further so that I can help you understand this clearly.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:
A Powerful Defining Moment
Have you ever had a powerful defining moment in your life when your life's purpose becomes excitingly crystal clear? I had such a defining moment recently on 21 October 2010. I was on an overnight British Airways flight from Mumbai, India to London to begin a 3 weeks lecture tour in Europe. I awoke to see through the airplane window a slight hint of the soon-to-appear sunrise over my left shoulder on the eastern horizon. By the grace of my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, I was given the vivid realization of an even greater sunrise that is now manifesting in this universe, the dawning of an enlightened age of Krishna consciousness. I knew that I was one of those most fortunate souls who had been tipped off early on, and who had been allowed by the Lord to play a role in this amazing global awakening. It was the most exhilarating, thrilling feeling I could imagine. The cabin was full of sleeping people who were asleep in more ways than one. And I knew, "My only duty in life is to awaken the sleeping people of this planet who are lost in the dream of material consciousness." "We are on a mission to save the world," reverberated beautifully and deeply in my consciousness on that sublime morning, and that reverberation is still going on in the sweetest and most relishable way.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Why God Created the World Like This?
Why did God create the material world as it is, why not differently?
Udayan
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Answer: To Save You As Soon As Possible
Because Lord Sri Krishna wants to save you as soon as possible, He has custom designed this material world in such a precise way that is perfectly suitable for you, who made the mistake of leaving His service in the spiritual kingdom, to come to your senses and get back to Him as soon as possible.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:
Planetary Leadership
What this planet is lacking is leadership. The current slate of leaders have neither the knowledge nor the purity to lead the world society out of its ever-increasingly chaotic condition. Disorder and disruption are becoming more and more predominant in every sphere of the social/ecological order, and things will do nothing except get worse, unless and until the world society is willing to be guided by those who are actually qualified the lead it, the pure devotees of the Lord.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: How to Overcome Sentiment?
What is sentiment? How does this affect/influence Krishna consciousness? And how can one overcome sentiment?
Humbly,
Your Servant,
Nandan
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Answer: Spiritualize It
Sentiment means feelings. Material sentiments bind us. Spiritual sentiments liberate us. Become free from material sentiments by filling your heart with spiritual sentiments.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:
Cowboys Die With Their Boots On
Here in Texas there is a saying that cowboys always die with their boots on. This means that they never give up their determination of being cowboys even up until the moment of death. The devotee of Krishna has a similar mood. Even up to moment of his death he continues glorifying Lord Krishna and pushing forward the Krishna consciousness movement for the deliverance of all living beings. Even if the cowboys don't actually keep their boots on, the pure devotee of Krishna remains solidly fixed in his determination even while he is passing out of his body.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Formlessness After Liberation?
When we return to the spiritual world, are we just going to be the spirit, or we are going to have bodies?
KC
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Answer: Transcendental Forms
When we regain our original positions in the spiritual world, we will not be formless. Just as Krishna has an eternal form, which is full of bliss and knowledge, His devotees in the spiritual world are also situated in their eternal transcendental, spiritual forms, which never get sick, never die, and never get old.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:
Don't Be a Miser
Miser means miserable. So it does not make any sense to remain a miser. The word for miser in Sanskrit is "kripana". This is similar to the English word "creep", which means an unpleasant, obnoxious person, or in other words, a miser. To be a miser means to be a taker instead of a giver. The miser always tries to exploit others for his own personal advantage. He has no desire to serve others, because he thinks that he can only be happy by serving himself. He does not realize how much joy there is in giving service to others.
The perfection of serving others is to serve that person who is the root cause of all existence, because when we serve Him we automatically render the best loving service to all living beings. Just as when we water the root of a tree all the leaves and branches are nourished, when give our love to the Supreme Personality of Godhead our love is distributed to all living beings, and we feel unlimited happiness.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Benefit of One Moment of Pure Bhakti?
Please accept my humble obeisances.
May your blessings and mercy always be on me.
Is it true that if a person does even one moment of truly loving devotional service to Lord Krishna then the person is blessed multiple times?
What is best time to chant the Hare Krishna mahamantra? 4am to 6am or 4am to 7am or other?
Is it correct to chant between 12 midnight and 4am also? Or is chanting to be begun from 4 am?
Sunil
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Answer: Unlimited Blessings
If one renders even one nanosecond of pure devotional service, he will receive unlimited blessings. The best time to chant the Hare Krishna mantra japa is in the early morning hours before sunrise, but it can be chanted any time and any place 24 hours daily.
I personally like to begin my morning chanting by 2:30am.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:
Begging for Srila Prabhupada's Mercy
My dear spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, kindly bless me that I can become your completely dedicated servant, who is willing to do whatever is required to make your mission of delivering the entire world a success. I am not a very qualified servant. In fact, I am disqualified in so many ways due to my innumerable faults such as false pride and laziness. Therefore I must beg you to kindly help me conquer over all of my deficiencies so that I can become your first class servant. Kindly have mercy on me, Srila Prabhupada. I am crying to you piteously like a small child calling for its mother. Please bless me that I can become your completely pure disciple.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: How Does Consciousness Expand?
My dear Gurudeva,
I offer my humble obeisances to you. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I was studying my Bhagavad-Gita As It Is this morning and a gnawing question came to mind. If the spirit-soul is so small, how can consciousness be spread throughout the body? The soul is so small and the physical body so much larger. I can't seem to wrap my head around this one. Please by Your mercy explain this mystery to me. (BG 2.17).
Thank You so much for Your continual kindness towards me.
Sincerely,
Your eternal servant.
Brenda Lee
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Answer: Like the Sunshine
Just as the sun, although situated in one place, is spread through the form of its energy, the sunshine, throughout the entire universe, the atomic soul although situated in one place within the heart is spread in the form of its energy, consciousness, throughout the entire body.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:
Ice Cream Through Your Ear
When you are miserable, what can you do to get rid of your misery? Drown yourself in sense gratification? No. That will only make it worse. To get rid of misery you have to intelligently analyze your situation and understand why you are miserable and then do the needful to eliminate it.
Misery is due to our false sense of trying to be the owner and enjoyer of that which is actually the property of someone else, namely the Supreme Lord, the source of all existence. When one is infected with this false sense of overlordship, which is contrary to his constitutional identity as a servant of the Supreme, he will naturally be miserable. To try to be happy in that way is like trying to eat ice cream through your ear. It is completely unnatural and artificial.
The natural solution is understand and realize that since you come into this world with nothing and leave with nothing, you are not the proprietor of what you survey and are thus also not its enjoyer. So instead of trying to be proprietor/enjoyer all you have to do is agree the serve the actual proprietor and enjoyer--the all-beautiful, all-powerful, all-renounced, all-knowing, all-merciful, all-wealthy, and all-famous Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna. As soon as you do so, you will immediately experience the wonderful reawakening of divine bliss within your heart. You will be so happy just by the mere fact that you exist as the eternal servant of that absolutely amazing Supreme Person.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: How to Reply to Challenge from a Muslim?
I met a Muslim recently, and he told me that the Quran is the most authentic scripture and all other scriptures, be it the Vedas or the Bible have all been tampered with. Of course, that did not bewilder me since I have experienced practically the authenticity of the teachings of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam in my life. My question is: How do we reply to such people or counter such arguments?
I hope I am not troubling you with small questions like these, but I do not like to keep questions hanging in my mind.
Please bless me so that I can do my sadhana effectively and attentively. Please let me know how can I serve you?
Hare Krishna,
Tushar
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Answer: Answer According to the Scriptures
Anyone can claim that his scripture is the most authentic and authoritative. It is not surprising that he will feel that way because that is his chosen path. But if we objectively analyze the different scriptures from a scholarly point of view we will see that while the Bible and the Islamic scriptures both state that there is higher knowledge beyond what they present, in the Bhagavad-gita Lord Sri Krishna declares that there is no knowledge beyond what is presented in the Bhagavad- gita:
jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam
idaṁ vakṣyāmy aśeṣataḥ
yaj jñātvā neha bhūyo 'nyaj
jñātavyam avaśiṣyate
"I shall now declare unto you in full this knowledge,
both phenomenal and numinous. This being known,
nothing further shall remain for you to know."
--Bhagavad-gita 7.2
idaṁ vakṣyāmy aśeṣataḥ
yaj jñātvā neha bhūyo 'nyaj
jñātavyam avaśiṣyate
"I shall now declare unto you in full this knowledge,
both phenomenal and numinous. This being known,
nothing further shall remain for you to know."
--Bhagavad-gita 7.2
So if we accept the authoritative statements of all the revealed scriptures, we will naturally see that the Bhagavad-gita is the perfection of knowledge, while the Bible and the Quran are stepping stones on the path to perfection of knowledge as revealed in the Bhagavad-gita.
If you want effective sadhana, you must rise early and chant at least 16 rounds of Hare Krishna japa mala, every day before sunrise.
You can serve me the best by fully dedicating your life for assisting us in our mission to make the whole world Krishna conscious.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:
Finding Krishna in the Tornado
We've got two weeks more here at our ashram in Austin, Texas to get ready for our next tour. There are so many things to do I feel like I am in the middle of a tornado. But in spite of the hectic schedule, I have a wonderful peace of mind simply by taking shelter of my beloved Lord Sri Krishna according to the sublime advice He gives in the Gita:
cetasā sarva-karmāṇi
mayi sannyasya mat-paraḥ
buddhi-yogam upāśritya
mac-cittaḥ satataṁ bhava
"In all activities just depend upon Me
and work always under My protection.
In such devotional service, be fully conscious of Me."
--Bhagavad- gita 18.57
mayi sannyasya mat-paraḥ
buddhi-yogam upāśritya
mac-cittaḥ satataṁ bhava
"In all activities just depend upon Me
and work always under My protection.
In such devotional service, be fully conscious of Me."
--Bhagavad- gita 18.57
Simply by living in adherence with this guidance from the Supreme Person anybody in any part of the world can be peaceful and happy.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Sometimes Life is Like a Tornado
Challenge: Your Compassion is Impractical
There is a verse in the Bhagavad-gita which states:
"Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth."
It is easy to deduce from this Bhagavad-gita verse that the whole world can never become Krishna conscious up to the final stage of becoming pure devotees. Even we can not pray to Krishna for such a thing because we are already given to understand that it is not possible. It is an unrealistic ideal, by all means.
Your compassion is praiseworthy but not practicable. Sorry for any impoliteness to you, but absolute truth, which will be pleasing to Krishna, has to be proclaimed.
My best wishes for your mission, now and forever.
M.D.
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Answer: Should We Leave You Out?
Thank you very much for your best wishes now and forever for our mission. This is very much appreciated!. Regarding the interesting point of philosophy that you have brought up, I will reply to you according to the conclusion of the Vedic wisdom as I have learned it from my spiritual master.
Yes, it is a fact, as you state, that according to the Bhagavad-gita only a rare person can become Krishna conscious. It would thus be apparently impossible for the whole world to become Krishna conscious. But, you must not be aware that Krishna has reappeared in this age of Kali as His most merciful manifestation, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, to deliver all of the fallen souls of this age. By His inconceivable kindness, any soul who is fortunate to come into contact with a bona fide spiritual master in the disciplic line from Lord Caitanya can become one of those rare souls who become Krishna conscious.
Possible or impossible is not an issue for us because it is stated in the scriptures that by the mercy of Sri Guru even the impossible can become possible. All we know is that our spiritual master ordered us to deliver the entire world. So we must pray for the Lord's special mercy and try our best to successfully carry out his order.
If you feel that our endeavor to deliver the entire world is not pleasing to the Lord, perhaps our attempt should not include you. Let us know.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:
Intense Greed for Krishna Bhakti
Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhupada advises us that the only way to attain the perfectional stage of consciousness, Krishna consciousness, is by the intense greed to obtain it. It cannot be had even by pious activities for hundreds and millions of years. He says that if it is available somewhere that we should purchase it without delay.
The fantastic news is that it is available right now in the Krishna consciousness movement, which is currently manifested on this planet in the form of ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Visit your local ISKCON branch as soon as possible, and make sure to bring along an intense greed for Krishna bhakti, for awakening your dormant Krishna consciousness.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
ISKCON Temple, Los Angeles, California USA
Question: Does Krishna Have an Impersonal Form?
In Bhagavad-gita 12.2 Lord Krishna says that he who concentrates on His personal form and who worship Him with faith and devotion is to be considered to be most perfect in yoga. One of my friends is always arguing that there is a God in impersonal form also. Is it true ?
Tushar
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Answer: Yes, Like the Sun and the Sunshine.
It is a fact as confirmed by the Lord Himself in the Bhagavad-gita that He also has an unmanifested, impersonal aspect.
mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ
jagad avyakta-mūrtinā
mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni
na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ
"By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded.
All beings are in Me, but I am not in them."
--Bhagavad-gita 9.4
jagad avyakta-mūrtinā
mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni
na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ
"By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded.
All beings are in Me, but I am not in them."
--Bhagavad-gita 9.4
Just as the sun is situated in one place but is expanded throughout the universe in the form of sunshine, Krishna has his transcendental form in which He enjoys His transcendental pastimes in Goloka Vrindavan and at the same time He is expanded everywhere in His impersonal aspect throughout all of existence.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:
We Want to Make Everyone Happy
Our mission is to see that every man, woman, and child on the face of this planet is peaceful, well-fed, and happy. This is of course is quite a herculean task. It would seem, considering the present world situation, that to accomplish such a mission would be completely impossible. But impossible dreams are the stuff that heroes are made of. Positive thinking is empowering and negative thinking is debilitating. If one thinks positively, he can always maintain his youthful enthusiasm and accomplish much more in his life than those who think negatively. Even though my 63 years old body is deficient in so many ways, I still feel the same youthful enthusiasm I did when as a 23 year old I joined the Hare Krishnas to save the world.
Here I am preaching to a delighted couple at a yajna feast held at New Vrindavan's original old farm house sometime around 1973. I am wearing saffron because I was a brahmacari at that time.
I was very enlivened for spreading this supreme knowledge at that time, and I am even more enlivened to do so now. This is the nature of spiritual energy. It is ever-increasing.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: How Can I Serve Your Mission?
Thanks for your daily Job that make my life easier. The best way that I can see to thank you is to become your servant. Please instruct me in the way I need to be able to help your mission.
Demian
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Answer: Be Krishna Conscious and Spread It.
Kindly fully absorb yourself in Krishna consciousness 24 hours daily in all of your activities. And as much as possible read about Krishna, chant Hare Krishna, and spread the amazing science of Krishna consciousness to the suffering people of this world by distributing Srila Prabhupada's books and sharing with others what you have realized about Krishna.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:
Become a Perfect Goswami
If you want to regain your constitutional position of unlimited happiness, you must bring your senses under control because as long as you allow them to control you, you will remain subject to the fourfold miseries of birth, death, old age, and disease. Controlled senses means to engage the senses in the service of the master of the senses, Hrisikesha or Krishna. In other words be a goswami, the master of your senses, not a godasa, the slave of your senses. The easiest way to do is this is to constantly or as much as possible chant the Hare Krishna mantra. If you will seriously adopt this chanting process, you will quickly and easily become a perfect goswami.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Srila Prabhupada, the Perfect Goswami,
Chants Hare Krishna on His Japa Beads
Challenge: Why do You Lie?
Your efforts will not make the whole world Krishna Consciousness. You should know that in the Bhavisya Purana Krishna states that at the end of the Kali yuga He will be born as Kalki to destroy the the demons and bring in a new world order. Why do you tell people a lie that one day the world will be fully absorbed in Krishna consciousness?
Regards,
V.J.
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Answer: We Simply Present the Vedic Version
I agree with you 100% that by our efforts the world will not become Krishna conscious. The world can be Krishnized only by the inconceivable mercy of the Supreme Lord. We are simply acting as His servants depending completely on His mercy for whatever will be the results of our humble attempt.
Kindly note that if a teacher presents something which appears wrong to us, we should submissively inquire from him for clarification before accusing him of being a liar. If we call a teacher who is accurately presenting the Vedic wisdom for the deliverance of the suffering humanity a liar, this is a great offense known as hati- mata, the mad elephant offense, and it brings a severe karmic reaction, which can completely destroy one's spiritual life. If we foolishly make the mistake of uttering or writing such words of criticism, to protect ourselves from the devastating reaction to such a offense, we should humbly bow down at the feet of the teacher contritely begging him to forgive us for our offense. In this way, if he forgives us, we will be released from the reaction to our offense.
We are very well aware of the accurate statements in the Vedic teachings regarding the appearance of the Kalki avatar at the end of the Kali yuga. At that time the entire human population will become so demoniac that there will be no solution other than killing them and bringing in a new pious age. This will happen 427,000 years from now.
What you are not aware of is that within this present degraded materialistic age of Kali there is a 10,000 year era of spiritual enlightenment known as the Caitanya Era. This era began with the advent of Lord Caitanya in 1486. It is predicted in the Vedic wisdom that during this Caitanya Era the entire human population will become inundated with Krishna consciousness, even those who are demoniac. The prediction is given as follows in the Sri Caitanya Caritamrita:
saj-jana, durjana, pangu, jada, andha- gana
prema-vanyaya dubaila jagatera jana
"The Krishna consciousness movement will inundate the entire world and drown everyone, whether one be a gentleman, a rogue or even lame, invalid or blind." CC Adi 7.26
prema-vanyaya dubaila jagatera jana
"The Krishna consciousness movement will inundate the entire world and drown everyone, whether one be a gentleman, a rogue or even lame, invalid or blind." CC Adi 7.26
I hope now that your understanding is now clarified and that you will do the needful as indicated above.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:
The Kingdom of God Without God
The root cause of all the problems which are perplexing the modern day society is that the people want the kingdom of God without God. They want to deny God's existence and at the same time create a heaven on earth through the advancement of modern technology. But their foolish attempt is condemned to failure as confirmed in the Bhagavad- gita:
moghāśā mogha-karmāṇo
mogha-jñānā vicetasaḥ
rākṣasīm āsurīṁ caiva
prakṛtiṁ mohinīṁ śritāḥ
"Those who are thus bewildered are attracted by demonic and atheistic views.
In that deluded condition, their hopes for liberation, their fruitive activities,
and their culture of knowledge are all defeated."
--Bhagavad-gita 9.12
mogha-jñānā vicetasaḥ
rākṣasīm āsurīṁ caiva
prakṛtiṁ mohinīṁ śritāḥ
"Those who are thus bewildered are attracted by demonic and atheistic views.
In that deluded condition, their hopes for liberation, their fruitive activities,
and their culture of knowledge are all defeated."
--Bhagavad-gita 9.12
The proof can be seen all around us. Now as a result of their scientific advancement the ecological balance of the earth planet is being destroyed. We are witnessing an ever-increasing threat from global warming, drought, desertification, famine, floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, pollution, terrorism, epidemics, etc. All of these anomalies are direct karmic reactions for our abandoning the laws of God and pursuing lives of wanton sense gratification. It's time to wake up and save the world by the wide scale introduction of Krishna consciousness before it is too late.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Global Warming, a Symptom of Godlessness
Question: When We Die in Krishna Consciousness?
According to the Bhagavad-gita, at the time of death if we remember Krishna, we will become one with Him. What does that mean? What exactly happens after we die in Krishna consciousness?
KC
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Answer: We Go to Krishna
Nowhere in the Bhagavad-gita does it state that by remembering Krishna at the time of death that we will become one with Him. It you are reading an edition which states this, it has not been translated properly. Krishna says that by being absorbed in thoughts of Him that we will come to Him. He does not say that we will become Him. In Chapter 2, Text 12 the Lord confirms that we are eternal individuals, that at no time do we ever merge into Him and become Him. So, if someone dies in remembrance of the Lord, they will enter into the Lord's eternal abode to serve Him forever as one of His associates. They will not become one with Him.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA
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Today's Thought:
Please Bless Me, Srila Prabhupada
My Dear Srila Prabhupada, on 7 September 1971 in a letter from London you wonderfully encouraged me with the following words:
"I can see also that you are a very sincere and enthusiastic boy and are anxious for spreading this movement. Those are first class qualifications for making advancement in Krishna Consciousness. So continue enthusiastically as you are doing and Krishna will surely bless you."
I have sincerely tried since that day to always maintain my enthusiasm for serving your mission in all varieties of pleasing, not so pleasing, and even downright disgusting circumstances. My loyalty to your instructions has been the greatest treasure of life. It has transformed my life into the ultimate adventure of being a cutting edge spiritual revolutionary fully absorbed in trying to save the entire human civilization from the cycle of birth and death. Whether they are saved or not, one thing is for sure: By your grace I am being saved as confirmed by you in the very same letter:
"Follow the regulative principles strictly, chant your 16 rounds faithfully, study our literatures, go for street Sankirtana, etc. All these activities will make you fixed up in Krishna's service and eligible for going back to home, back to Godhead."
How can I ever thank you enough, Srila Prabhupada? It is not possible. All I can is dedicate myself eternally to serving you by always following your instructions. Please bless me that I can always remain undeviatingly absorbed in your service with my every thought, word, and deed in all times, places, and circumstances.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Appreciation: Your Emails Are Our Savior
I just wanted to thank you for your daily thoughts and for the very enlivening and powerful Question/Answer. These days in many people lives they are forced to practically live with the computer and be cut off from people most of the time. And this has even been accepted as the normal life. Your emails are our savior.
Also, as most of the communication between people happen in email these days, and though many emails are casual, sometimes the communications could be on a serious matter. There is so much fear to even open the email not knowing what the other person has to say. In such a situation right there on my mail box I see the "Thought for the Day." As I read it, it gives me an opportunity to remember Krishna, offer prayers and take shelter. Now I can open and read the other dreaded emails without fear understanding that no matter what the news is in the mail, Krishna arranges whatever is the best for me.
regards
your servant
Rajesh
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Reply: They Have the Power to Save the World
I am very happy to learn that our emails are you savior. Of course, I do not have any credit in this connection. It is because they are the teachings of my beloved spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, that they indeed have the power to save anyone who reads them, and that they thus can save the entire world. Simply we have to attract more and more to these teachings until someday the entire world is reading and following them. It will be heaven on earth.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Today's Thought:
Can the Whole World Become Krishna Conscious?
Sometimes we hear that it is not possible for the entire world to become Krishna conscious, that the idea of Krishna conscious world is an inconceivable, naive dream. But I don't accept this, and I'll tell you why.
I see right now how in the USA there is a black man, Mr. Barack Obama, serving as the president of the United States. Fifty years ago if someone had said that in the future the USA would a have a black president, nobody would have believed it. They would have laughed it off as a ridiculous, foolish notion.
I remember how fifty years ago when I was a young boy living in Houston, Texas that a black man was not allowed to enter the white's man's bathroom at our local Sears and Roebuck department store except to clean it. In that same store a black man could not even drink from the same water fountain as a white man. Black people were considered inferior in every way. They lived in different neighborhoods, attended different schools and churches, and were limited to low paying jobs. But the civil rights movement fought like anything to give the blacks the same rights as their white brothers and was successful.
So if the inconceivability of having a black US president can become reality, there is no reason that the inconceivability of a Krishna conscious world cannot become a reality. If the civil rights movement can be successful, the Krishna consciousness movement can also become successful.
So what is the moral of the story? We, the members of the Krishna consciousness movement, have to become even more tenacious for spreading Krishna consciousness than the civil rights activists were for making their movement successful. If we do so, we will be eyewitnesses to the most amazing transformation of the human society in the history of the world.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Farewell Sendoff on Our Departure to the USA
Riga, Latvia--14 November 2010
Question: Why Do We Need God?
What is the need for the existence of God for the life of a man? What happens to the man whose life is not permeated by the existence of God?
Thank you for your reply.
Andres
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Answer: Without God We Do Not Exist.
Since God is the source of everything, if God did not exist, we would not exist. Therefore His existence is absolutely essential for our existence. Those who deny Him are committing spiritual suicide and are dooming themselves to an empty life of meaninglessness.
God is that one person with whom we can have the exchange of pure selfless love. A person who has not revived his loving relationship with the Supreme Lord must live a life full of frustration because he will be starving for genuine love and will not be able to taste it. He will try to find genuine love in this world, but he will not be able to do so. He will end up being cheated again and again, and will thus become a most miserable and disappointed person.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Riga, Latvia
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Today's Thought:
On the Amazing Road Again
After nine weeks of traveling and lecturing on the ultimate self realization science of Krishna consciousness in Bulgaria, India, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Russia, we are heading back to our ashram in Austin, Texas for a three weeks break before heading out again for finishing up our tour by lecturing in South Africa, Mauritius, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, and Peru. Traveling and lecturing all over the world on behalf of my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, is a truly amazing second-to-none experience. There is nothing more inspiring and enlivening that this.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Arrival at Home Program--
Riga, Lativa--13 November 2010
Lecture at Home Program--
Riga, Lativa--13 November 2010
Distributing a Set of Srimad Bhagavatams
At Home Program--Riga, Lativa--13 November 2010
Question: Why Do I Exist?
Respected Gurudeva,
Why am I created? What is the purpose of getting this life of mine? I don't find any answer. Please enlighten me.
Priya
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Answer: To Love God.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternally emanating you from Himself for the purpose of enjoying a loving relationship with you. In short, you exist for the purpose of loving God.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Riga, Latvia
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Today's Thought:
Greatest Rescue Mission in History
We are most fortunate to be living in the most exciting time of world history. This is the Caitanya era. It began in 1486 with the advent of Lord Caitanya, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Sri Krishna appearing in the form of His own devotee. Those who participate in this movement of Lord Caitanya get to taste every day the supreme nectar of being part of the greatest rescue mission in history, saving the entire human race from its suffering condition in the cycle of birth and death. So if you are bored with life, join us today, and you will be in for the supreme adventure.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Questions and Answers on the Absolute Truth
Riga, Lativa--12 November 2010
Question: Is Krishna or Narayana the Original Godhead?
Dear Master,
First of all I would like to thank you for the wonderful teachings. Is Krishna the original form of Godhead or is Narayana the original form? And does which one we worship make any difference in our devotion?
Thank you,
Vaishali
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Answer: Krishna is the Origin of All Incarnations
It is confirmed in many places in the Vedic scriptures that Krishna is the original personality of Godhead and that all other incarnations are His expansions or the expansions of His expansions. Since Krishna and all of His incarnations are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you can be devoted to any of them and attain spiritual perfection.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Riga, Latvia
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Today's Thought:
Dive into the Ocean of Bliss
There is no need for you to suffer any longer in this miserable material existence, because there is a spiritual awakening now sweeping the planet earth, bestowing the supreme happiness upon all those who are so fortunate to come in contact with this ever- increasing ocean of supreme bliss. If you have not yet been inundated by the waves of this ocean, the good news is that this ocean has just now reached you in the form of this message. Dive now into this ocean of bliss and say goodbye forever to the miseries of birth, death, old age, and disease as you reawaken your original all-knowing, all-blissful identity as the eternal servant of God.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Pure Devotional Service Seminar
Riga, Latvia--11 November 2010
Question: How to Be a Good Devotee and a Good Wife?
Dear Master,
I would like to know about Krishna conscious family life. I am a woman from a Christian background. I cannot live alone in the society. I hope you understand. I am not interested in marriage because I simply want to serve the Lord. However, my parents are pushing me to get married. Please, therefore, advise me how to be a good Krishna conscious devotee as well as a good wife to my husband so that in all ways I can nicely serve my beloved Lord, Sri Krishna.
Thank you,
Priya
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Answer: Serve Guru and Husband
Because women are unfortunately objects of exploitation in this demoniac world society, it is better that a woman is protected by a loving husband. But if she is married to man who is not Krishna conscious, it will be very difficult, if not impossible, for her to become Krishna conscious. Therefore she should marry a man who is a devotee of Lord Sri Krishna. In this way her pathway to liberation will be wide open. Being a good wife means to always serve her husband by helping him be Krishna conscious. And being a good devotee means to take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, take initiation from him, and always faithfully follow his instructions.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Riga, Latvia
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Today's Thought:
Kindly Help Us Save the World.
Our spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, has given us the seemingly impossible duty of making the entire world Krishna conscious. He told us, his disciples, on 17 December 1973 in Los Angeles, "Become guru and deliver the whole world." But what we can do on our own? We are a small number of souls struggling to awaken the entire human population to Krishna consciousness. On our own there is no way that we can be successful in carrying out this mission. But if you, and more and more others like you, will now step forward to dedicate your lives to this mission, there is substantial hope that we can be successful. So kindly now step forward and offer yourself as the dedicated servant of the Krishna consciousness movement. This is our humble request. Whatever talents and opulences you possess are the gifts of God. So now, kindly engage these gifts in the service of He who blessed you with them. In this way your talents and opulences will increase. You will become unlimitedly happy, and the entire world will become happy.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Spreading Krishna Bhakti in Russia
Kaliningrad--6 November 2010
Question: Can I Chant My Japa in a Cab?
Respected Gurudeva,
Currently I am chanting 6 rounds of Hare Krishna mahamantra japa as a regular daily routine. But I do most of them in a cab while going to office. And secondly whenever I chant at home, I always do so while walking otherwise my mind goes here and there. Of course while walking mind goes also here and there, but still my concentration is better when walking as opposed to when I am sitting.
So my question is that is the above process of chanting not good?
A devotee told me that I should try to chant as many rounds in home as compared to chanting in the cab. Secondly she also told me that it is okay that I do the chanting while walking but that it is better to sit in a proper position while chanting.
So Srila Gurudeva, I just want to confirm whether Krishna wants us to chant by following some rules, or we are free chant as I explained above.
Vinita
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Answer: Better to Chant in a Solitary Quiet Place
Chanting can be done in any and all conditions 24 hours day. But our prescribed daily quota of japa mala chanting should be done with full attention because inattention is offensive when chanting the Lord's holy names. Such daily chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra on japa beads is transcendental meditation. Riding in a cab is not a suitable place for doing attentive meditation.
For attentive meditative chanting one should rise in early in the morning before sunrise, take bath, and then sit peacefully for chanting the most sacred Hare Krishna mahamantra. If one gets a little sleepy, he can stand up and chant or even pace back and forth while chanting.
Of course, under emergency of lacking time, one can fulfill his daily quota of chanting while riding in a cab, but this should clearly not be a regular daily affair. The standard procedure is to go to bed as early as possible and wake up as early as possible so that one has sufficient time for completing at least 16 rounds of Hare Krishna mahamantra japa meditation before taking his breakfast.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Riga, Latvia
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Today's Thought:
The Purpose of Life Revealed
A life without real meaning is pointless. Imagined meaning is useless. But yet most people resign themselves to such a miserable fate simply because they do not know any better. They work hard their whole life only to be rewarded with a grave at the end. Those who are intelligent and philosophically inclined search diligently for the purpose of their existence until they finally find it by coming in contact with a bona fide spiritual master. The bona fide spiritual masters are very kind because they constantly travel all over the world to enlighten everyone in the science of life's real purpose.
I was most fortunate to come into the contact of such a bona fide spiritual master who taught me the science of how to revive my eternal, beyond-the-grave identity and then ordered me to make this science available to all suffering souls all over the world.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Purpose of Life Lecture--Riga, Latvia--8 November 2010
Question: Where to Find a Spiritual Master?
My question for today is, where can one find a spiritual master?
I know that when the student is ready the teacher shall appear, but is there not something more one can do to come into contact with a spiritual master? And how would one know that the person is the right spiritual master?
Andries
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Answer: See Who is Instructing You According to Gita
Regarding where one can find a spiritual master, just as the foolish owl who with closed eyes asked the sun where he could find the sun, one should open his eyes and see that person who is already instructing him in the science of Krishna consciousness according to the Bhagavad-gita as it is. From such a bona fide spiritual master we should accept shelter, initiation, and instructions.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Riga, Latvia
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Today's Thought:
Remembering My Most Glorious Spiritual Master
9 November 2010--Today is the disappearance day of my most beloved spiritual maser, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Were it not for him I would be drowning right now in an ocean of perpetual sorrow and illusion. So how is it possible I could ever sufficiently express my gratitude to him for the completely undeserved constant flow of unlimited mercy that he has been bestowing upon me? This is a day of sadness because no longer in this world can I sit at his lotus feet as I formerly did and hear another one of his amazing lectures. No longer can I raise my hand to ask a question and hear his sublime transcendental answer. Nor can I again write him a letter and receive back his written response personally signed by him. Although it is a painful melancholy, it is a sweet melancholy, because the more I pine for his association with a wounded, aching heart, the more he becomes manifested within my heart to relieve me of the distress of his separation. In this day of Srila Prabhupada's disappearance is a day of the greatest happiness. As Bhaktivinode Thakur has written:
He reasons ill who tells that Vaisnavas die,
when thou art living still in sound.
The Vaisnavas die to live, and living try
to spread the holy name around.
when thou art living still in sound.
The Vaisnavas die to live, and living try
to spread the holy name around.
So today is a day to become even more connected with our most beloved Srila Prabhupada.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: How to Feel Constantly Motivated?
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
I've been chanting 16 rounds a day, but sometimes I can't stop counting in reverse (15 more rounds to go... now 8 more to go... now the last one!.) Why does chanting appear to be like a task / assignment sometimes?
2. Also, Srila Prabhupada writes in his books about knowing Krishna within and without. What does this mean? How can know/realize Krishna within and without?
3. Sometimes I just lack motivation in general. E.g. I always keep on thinking of sending you this email but it has been delayed for more than 2 months now. How can I constantly feel motivated 24X7?
Vishal
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Answer: Accept Shelter, Initiation, and Instructions
Chanting becomes like a chore when we do not call out to the Lord begging for His mercy. If we call out to the Lord like a child crying for its mother, we can deep sea dive in the ambrosial ocean of the Lord's holy names 24 hours a day without ever getting tired.
In order to attain actual relief from the pangs of material existence we must learn how to experience the Supreme Personality of Godhead both within and without, i.e. both internally and externally. Krishna is seated within our hearts as the Supersoul as confirmed in Bhagavad- gita 15.15. In this form He is known as caitya-guru, the guru within our hearts. That same caitya-guru appears externally in the form of the spiritual master. Therefore we faithfully serve the spiritual master with love and devotion seeing him as the external manifestation of the Lord within. By faithfully abiding by the instructions of the guru without, we will fully realize the guru within also.
If you want to be constantly motivated you must take shelter of the bona fide spiritual master, get initiated by him, and fully absorb yourself in carrying out his orders. The greatest happiness of the disciple is to fully absorb himself 24 hours daily in pleasing his spiritual master by faithfully following his instructions.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Kaunas, Lithuania
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Today is Srila Prabhupada's Disappearance Day:
This day is meant to be celebrated by all of Srila Prabhupada's followers. Fast until noon and prepare a special feast for him to be offered to him at noon. After the offering is made offer him a puspanjali ceremony and then a full arati while singing the Gurvastakam prayers. If possible, attend the celebration at your nearest ISKCON center.
This day is meant to be celebrated by all of Srila Prabhupada's followers. Fast until noon and prepare a special feast for him to be offered to him at noon. After the offering is made offer him a puspanjali ceremony and then a full arati while singing the Gurvastakam prayers. If possible, attend the celebration at your nearest ISKCON center.
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Today's Thought:
Nothing More Enchanting
There is nothing more enchanting than chanting the holy names of God because through the process of chanting under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master one is directly connected with God, the source of everything. Since when one is connected with God, he is connected with everything, through chanting one can experience everything wonderful that can be experienced anywhere throughout all of existence. Understanding the amazing benefits of chanting God's names, what sane person anywhere throughout the entire world would not want to chant?
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Sunday Feast Lecture
Kaunas, Lithuania--7 November 2010
Question: Evidence for the Existence of God?
How can it proven that there is God and that God is the creator of this universe?
Satish
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Answer: Everything Comes from Something
Since it is scientifically verifiable than everything comes from something, that nothing comes from nothing, therefore it is scientifically proven that there is an origin for the universe.
What name we choose to give to that origin is not so important. The important thing is to understand that the universe does indeed have an origin. Since the word "God" means the origin or source of all existence, we can use the word "God".
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Kaunas, Lithuania
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Today's Thought:
Super Sweet Nectar in Russia
Our super nectarean but all too short visit to Russia was again an ocean of inconceivable bliss. To be fully absorbed in hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord in the association of His wonderful devotees is the perfection of our existence.
Oh Lord, birth after birth may I always be packed up tightly in the association of your pure devotees who have no other desire than to constantly deep sea dive in the nectarean ocean of the unlimited glories of your transcendental name, fame, form, entourage, paraphernalia, and qualities. What more could I want than this?
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Ecstatic Send Off From Russia
Kaliningrad--7 November 2010
Question: Nitya Siddha Tattva
Respected Gurudeva,
They say that Lord Krishna's divine love is "nitya siddha tattva." What does it mean? Please help me understand it.
With highest regards,
Mitranand
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Answer: Absorbed Fully in Pure Krishna Bhakti
"Nitya siddha tattva" is the truth of the eternally liberated souls. That truth is that they are eternally fully absorbed in loving devotional service to Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The inner meaning is that you should follow in their footsteps by now fully immersing yourself 24 hours daily in the loving devotional service of Lord Sri Krishna.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Kaliningrad, Russia
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Today's Thought:
Fly Hare Krishna Airlines
Why remain in a world where you are forced to suffer birth, death, old age, and disease lifetime after lifetime after lifetime? You can easily escape this problematic world. All you have to do is fly away from here on Hare Krishna airlines. The spiritual master is your friendly travel agent. Book your ticket today. Get on board, buckle up, rev up your chanting engine, and take off today into the all-attractive spiritual sky. You can say goodbye forever to all forms of material suffering.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Flying on Hare Krishna Airlines in Russia
Kaliningrad--5 November 2010
Question: Did We Originate in the Spiritual World?
I have been reading your thoughts of the day and answers to questions since April 24, 2010. Your words keep me connected to Guru and Krishna on a regular basis. You have also provided some wonderful explanations to common and uncommon misconceptions of Krishna Consciousness. If only I had just a fraction of your spiritual enthusiasm, dedication and understanding, I would consider my life successful.
However, there is something that you say repeatedly in your emails that I find very difficult to understand. In fact it has been bugging me ever since I came to Krishna Consciousness. By the time I got a chance to ask my Guru Maharaja, he disappeared and I am afraid to ask this question to anyone. I asked this question once to a senior devotee who told me "You are worrying about unnecessary things. First become a pure devotee, then it will be revealed to you". So I am taking the liberty of asking you.
The problem I have is with the idea that we have forgotten Krishna. I find this very difficult to understand. My idea of Krishna is that He has to be such a person that once you know Him, it is not possible to forget Him. Therefore how is it possible that we were in the spiritual world and have now fallen into this material world? It is more reasonable to my mind that we never ever knew Krishna. Since time immemorial, we desired to enjoy for ourselves. This is the root cause of why we find ourselves in this material world. I know that many people have a difficult time accepting this, even among devotees. Also, there is a verse in the Bhagavad-gita (15.6):
yad gatva na nivartante, tad dhama paramam mama
Here Krishna seems to say that once a person is in the spiritual world, he can never fall down. So it looks like we were never in the spiritual world to start with.
With Respects and Obeisances
Humbly,
J Das
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Answer: Since We Came From Krishna, We Must Have.
Since we originate in Krishna, we must necessarily come from the spiritual world, since He is situated in the spiritual world. But as long as we are conditioned by time and space it is difficult for us to conceive of our true identity, which exists beyond time and space. If we want to truly understand our identity, we must open our minds to try to grasp what lies beyond time and space.
In the scriptures the souls entangled in this material world are called "nitya-baddha", which means "eternally conditioned". According to ordinary logic, this means that these nitya-baddhas must have never been with Krishna or must have never been Krishna conscious at any time in the past.
But yet Lord Caitanya describes that all living beings are the eternal servants of Krishna. And Srila Prabhupada states in his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 4.28.53, " The natural position of the living entity is to serve the Lord in a transcendental loving attitude. When the living entity wants to become Krishna Himself or imitate Krishna, he falls down into the material world."
And he also states in a letter to Dr. Bigelow, "Originally the soul comes from God. Just as a spark comes from fire, and when the spark falls down it appears to be extinguished, the spark of soul originally comes from the spiritual world to the material world."
So, how is it possible that both things could be true? How could we be originally in the spiritual world and at the same time have always been in this material world? It just does not make sense. But on some level it has to make sense because there are no contradictions in the Vedic teachings. So what is the level on which it does make sense?
The key to note here is that material world is the dimension of time, while the spiritual world is the dimension of timelessness. Since there is no time in the spiritual world, there is no measurable moment of time when we left it to enter this material world. And since we are here in the material world with no time that we entered, naturally we must always have been here. Therefore it is correct to say that we have always been here, because from the standpoint of material time this is correct. And at the same time it is correct to say that we were originally with Krishna and that due to our misuse of our independence we fell into the material existence.
In short, the fall into material existence occurred in timelessness, therefore there is no time that it happened.
Take a closer look at the Bhagavad-gita verse you quoted from chapter 15 text 6, which is translated as follows:
"That supreme abode of Mine is not illumined
by the sun or moon, nor by fire or electricity.
Those who reach it never return to this material world."
by the sun or moon, nor by fire or electricity.
Those who reach it never return to this material world."
Kindly note that this verse applies to those who fell into the material world and returned to the spiritual world. It does apply to those who never yet been the material world. This means that, just like the saying, "Once burned, twice shy," while one may fall once into this material world, he will not fall a second time.
Regarding your point of how it is possible to forget Krishna, the Lord describes in Bhagavad-gita 15.15 that He is provider of forgetfulness. This is means that those who are envious of the Lord are blessed by Him with forgetfulness of Him so that their minds will not be disturbed by their object of envy.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Kaliningrad, Russia
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Today's Thought:
Ten Million Times Better Than Sex
On 4 November, 2010 in Kaunas, Lithuania on a chilly, dark, rainy and windy evening I was led into an old, cold and dingy Soviet era building through an obscure passageway into a hall packed full of eager listeners ready to hear my lecture on the spiritual history of the world. They were super responsive and would often applaud in appreciation of various points that I made during the lecture and the question and answer session.
When a girl who was familiar with our prohibition against illicit sex wanted to know how we could possibly live without sex I explained to her that since chanting Hare Krishna is ten millions more pleasurable than having sex, it is easy to give it up.
Someone objected to the constant happiness of Krishna consciousness on the grounds that one must also suffer in order to enjoy happiness. But when I asked, "When you go a restaurant do you order some rotten food from the garbage along your meal so that you can enjoy your dinner?" the objector was defeated and could not say a word.
Especially memorable was when someone challenged me, "Do you only talk about Hare Krishna?" Understanding the universal non-dogmatic nature of Krishna consciousness I said, "No." But then I was dumbfounded what I would say next until within a second Krishna came to my rescue with the answer. I said, "I also talk about Hare Rama." The instant and poetic nature of my response enlivened the audience like anything, and the entire hall immediately erupted in a resounding wave of applause.
The lecture was recorded and is not yet uploaded. As soon as you see an announcement that my Baltic lectures are uploaded, the lecture will be available for your listening.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Sparking Off a Spiritual Revolution
Kaunas, Lithuania--4 November 2010
"Hare Krishna is Ten Millions Greater than Sex."
Kaunas, Lithuania--4 November 2010
Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: When Does Krishna Enjoy?
I have a question: We all chant actually for Krishna's happiness and do things to make Him enjoy. So how do we know when He is enjoying and when we are trying to get enjoyment out of chanting or anything for that matter? Because if we want Krishna to enjoy our chanting, for that first we need to chant with passion. So does that mean that first we should like something and if we enjoy doing it, Krishna will automatically start enjoying? How to know if He is enjoying or not?
Shivani
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Answer: When We Cry for His Mercy
It is not necessary for us get passionate enjoyment from our chanting in order to satisfy Krishna. Simply we have to cry for His mercy. This is what satisfies Him. And when He is satisfied, we will experience unlimited happiness in our chanting.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Kaunas, Lithuania
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Today's Thought:
Most Easy and Most Difficult
There is nothing easier than being Krishna conscious because being Krishna conscious simply means being yourself. And what could be simpler than being yourself? The difficulty is that we have been so much programmed and brainwashed into being something that we are not that sometimes there is nothing more difficult than being Krishna conscious. So what to do? How to get out of this quagmire? This is why a spiritual master is required. He helps us to be ourselves.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
More Kirtan Bliss-Kaunas, Lithuania--30 October 2010
Even More Bliss-Kaunas, Lithuania-30 October 2010
Question: Is Krishna a Dictator?
It is said in the Bhagavad-gita that we all are part and parcels of God and like Him are eternal, full of knowledge, and full of bliss.
My questions are :
(i) If we are eternal souls, why do we always fear death?
(ii) If we are full of knowledge, how can we say we are in darkness and trying to know more and more about everything?
(iii) If we are full of bliss, why do we always hanker to enjoy more and more and are never happy?
(iv) Somewhere in his books, Srila Prabhupada has quoted that when Lord Hari is especially pleased with any of His devotees, He takes away all his dear things on which he is depending like his family members, fame, wealth, and health so that he is so helpless that he will have nothing to do except to fully surrender himself unto the Lord.
Why would God make His dearest devotee so helpless and put him in such pitiful situation just to bring Him in His control. Is it not egoistic behavior on His part? Is this not like some dictator's behavior of modern days?
Devchand N. Patel
India
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Answer: He is the Most Benevolent Father
Thank you very much for your very nice questions.
We are foolishly afraid of death because due to misidentification with a temporary material body we have forgotten our eternal nature as deathless spiritual beings.
Even though we are full of knowledge, at the present moment our unlimited knowledge is covered by the cloud of darkness. Therefore we have forgotten the reality of which we were formerly so perfectly aware.
Our bliss is also covered, just as our knowledge is covered.
If someone wants to fully surrender to Krishna but is held back by their material attachments, Krishna kindly removes them from their material attachments so that they can easily fully surrender unto Him. This is His sweet kindness.
Krishna is not egoistic. He is the most benevolent father, who always does what is best for the ultimate happiness of each of His beloved children. If we do not understand Him, that is our fault, not His, because He fully reveals Himself in the Bhagavad-gita. If we do not understand Him, this means that we are not carefully studying and applying the Bhagavad-gita.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Kaunas, Lithuania
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Today's Thought:
Absolutely Ecstatic
Krishna consciousness is absolutely ecstatic. This means that a person who is fully absorbed in Krishna consciousness is always ecstatic no matter what situation he may be in. The reason that he is always swimming in an ocean of transcendental bliss is that he is constantly offering his every thought, word, and deed in the service of the Lord. Krishna, being very, very pleased with His devotee's mood of uninterrupted devotion, uninterruptedly showers His devotee with torrents and torrents of indescribably nectarean transcendental bliss.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Ecstatic Kirtan--Kaunas, Lithuania
30 October 2010
Transcendental Kirtan Bliss in Klaipeda, Lithuania
2 November 2010
More Kirtan Bliss in Klaipeda, Lithuania
2 November 2010
Four Sincere Soul Relish Kirtan Bliss
Klaipeda, Lithuania--2 November 2010
After Lecture Most Were Inspired to Purchase Books
Klaipeda, Lithuania--2 November 2010
Question: Simultaneous Formness and Formlessness?
Please help me to understand. Water, when it takes the shape of water vapor or ice loses its original liquid form, i.e. water. So how can Lord Sri Krishna manifest simultaneously His form aspect in a humanlike form and His formless aspect as the impersonal Brahman?
Can we say that in the formless form He remains as energy? As modern science claims that energy cannot be created or destroyed, that it only changes form--can we consider the energy that exists in the universe as God?
Regards.
Aman
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Answer: Just Like the Flames and Heat of a Fire
Just as fire simultaneously has its form aspect, its flames, and its formless aspect, its heat, similarly Krishna simultaneously manifests both His form aspect, His transcendental body, and his formless aspect, the impersonal Brahman.
The formless aspect of the Lord is His energy, just as the heat of the fire is the energy of the fire. The energy which is manifested as the material world is also the Lord's energy. It is manifested as eight different types of energy as described by Lord Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita:
bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ
khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca
ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me
bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā
"Earth, water, fire, air,
ether, mind, intelligence and false ego
--all together these eight constitute
My separated material energies."
--Bg 7.4
khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca
ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me
bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā
"Earth, water, fire, air,
ether, mind, intelligence and false ego
--all together these eight constitute
My separated material energies."
--Bg 7.4
Since the Lord and the Lord's energy are non-different, this universe is also understood as a manifestation of God.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Kaunas, Lithuania
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Today's Thought:
History's Greatest Spiritual Renaissance
Our mission is to lead the world out of chaos. We have in the books of Srila Prabhupada the knowledge required to bring a new age of God consciousness to this troubled planet. We simply must now convince especially the intellectual class to carefully read and follow the sublime instructions of Lord Sri Krishna as so meticulously explained by Srila Prabhupada in his books. If we can do so, there will manifest on this planet the greatest spiritual renaissance in the history of humanity.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Initiation Ceremony--Kaunas, Lithuania
30 October 2010
Question: Is Free Will Lost When One Surrenders?
Lord Krishna has given us free will. If a devotee surrenders himself to the Lord, does the Lord influence the decisions taken by the devotee's free will?
1] If yes, does it mean that God is partial?
2] If not, how should one understand his decisions in life are right or wrong?
Vikashwa
--- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Answer: Free Will Is Never Lost
Even after surrendering to Krishna the devotee still makes his own decisions because he is voluntarily using his free will to execute the will of God. He fully retains his free will because at any time he can opt out of serving the will of the Lord.
Krishna or God is completely impartial because He allows anybody without any discrimination to engage their free will in His service.
We can judge whether or not our decisions are right or wrong by seeing if they are in accordance with the sublime instructions given in the Bhagavad-gita.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Kaunas, Lithuania
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Today's Thought:
My Birthday
1 November 2010--Today is the 10th day of the holy month of Kartik. It is also the day of my birth according to the lunar calendar. Since I took birth in 1947, I am now 63 years old. I pray that this human body which the Lord has so kindly given me can be so fully absorbed in the His service, that I will not be obliged to ever accept another material body again.
Many people think of retiring when they reach their mid-sixties, but I always remember how Srila Prabhupada started a world wide spiritual movement at the age of 70. So considering Srila Prabhupada's example, 63 is still young. In fact, Srila Prabhupada explains that if one is Krishna consciousness, he can work with the energy of a young man even when he is 80 years old. I pray that this Hare Krishna movement will be so successful that I will see that the entire world has become Krishna conscious before I leave my present body.
Today my disciples all over the world are honoring their spiritual master as the current representative of Srila Vyasadeva, the literary incarnation of God, who compiled the Vedic wisdom. While I do not consider myself worthy of such honor and respect, it is my duty as a representative of my spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, to accept their love and devotion and offer it to him.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
2010 Vyas Puja Celebration--Kaunas, Lithuania
Question: How to Fully Absorb Mind in Krishna's Name?
Dear teacher:
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Is it that we can not 100% focus on the sound vibration of Hare Krishna mantra unless and until we come to the pure platform? If so, what does the instruction "fully absorb yourself in Hare Krishna mantra" mean when we aren't able to do it? This instruction is everywhere. Does it mean we should try our level best? I'm confused by this for a long time. Please kindly explain.
Your humble servant
Yechen Zhang
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Answer: Gradually Step by Step
If you try your best to fully absorb yourself in Krishna's name, you will come to the highest degree of absorption that you are able to muster. This is why we tell you to fully absorb yourself in the name. Even if you can only absorb yourself 1% in the name, do that, and then by the power of the name you will brought gradually to 2%. From there to 3%, etc all the way eventually to 100%, the perfectional stage of chanting.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
from Kaunas, Lithuania
------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------
Today's Thought:
When the Road Becomes Home
I've been circling the globe now for so many years to spread the science of Krishna consciousness, that I feel very much at home on the road. Even when I take a break at my home base in Austin, Texas if it is a short break I do not unpack my luggage. I continue living out of it to make it easier to resume traveling. This is the wonderful nature of Krishna consciousness. One can be anywhere in the world without feeling homesick. The reason is that our actual home is in Krishna, not in any place of this material world. If one takes shelter of this wonderful world of Krishna as his only true home, he will always be ecstatic in all times, places, and circumstances.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Bhagavad-gita Lecture--Kaunas, Lithuania
28 October 2010
Question: With No Ambition Will Anyone Work?
I am reading your "Thought for the Day" on a daily basis. I have one query: If there is no ambition, then why anybody would work? This question has been bothering me for a long time now. Please help me by guiding on this issue.
Thanks
Sanjay
------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------
Answer: The Most Ambitious Man in the World
A devotee is the most ambitious man in this world, even more so than the most ambitious materialist, because he wants to take over the whole world for Krishna. Therefore he works harder than anyone else to serve the Lord's mission.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
TABLA - FUENTES - FONTS
SOUV2
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- bai_____.ttf - 46 KB
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- balaram_.ttf - 45 KB
- SCAGRG__.TTF - 73 KB
- SCAGI__.TTF - 71 KB
- SCAGB__.TTF - 68 KB
- inbenr11.ttf - 64 KB
- inbeno11.ttf - 12 KB
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- inbenb11.ttf - 66 KB
- indevr20.ttf - 53 KB
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