Devotees Vaishnavas: Today's Thought

viernes, 18 de marzo de 2011

Today's Thought - January 2011

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.

Sofia Lecture Videos On Line:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/gauranga

Monday 31 January 2011

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

There Is Always A Solution

For those who have taken complete shelter of Sri Guru and Sri Krishna there is no question of every being baffled or defeated by anything in this material world. Because they are fully connected with Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He always provides a wonderful solution for each and every difficulty or dilemma that they face in the inevitable turbulences of this material existence.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Meaning of Full Surrender

I want to know what is meant by fully surrender to Krishna?

Your humble servant,

Geetha

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Answer: Serve Only Krishna's Demands

Full surrender means that we do not demand anything from the Lord, that we instead completely depend on His mercy in all times, places, and circumstances. If Krishna likes, He may keep us in a poverty-stricken condition, or if He likes He may keep us in an opulent position. We should not be concerned in either case. We should simply be very serious about always trying to satisfy the Lord's demands by rendering Him first class loving service.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Sunday 30 January 2011

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

Survive and Thrive in Hell

What does a devotee do when all hell breaks loose in his life and things become completely haywire, completely unmanageable? Such times when the soul is on trial are the most opportune times for making spiritual advancement. Therefore those who are learned in transcendental knowledge do not become devastated in such calamitous circumstances. Rather they become enlivened by the increased facility such circumstances offer for taking complete shelter of the Lord. In this way those who are wise survive and thrive even in the most hellish of circumstances.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: No Obstacles Greater That We Can Handle?

Dear Gurudeva,

In the 29 January 2011 message you said that Krishna "will never give us an obstacle which is greater than what we can handle". Please help me understand this, as I often find my current troubles to be quite overwhelming. Also could you please direct me to any scripture where this is confirmed?

Thank you in advance.

Hare Krishna,

Mahendra

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Answer: Krishna's Unlimited Causeless Mercy

It is simply a matter of understanding Lord Sri Krishna's unlimitedly compassionate nature. The scriptures describe as follows in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.8 how a devotee deals with reverse situations:

tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo
bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam
hṛd-vāg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jīveta yo mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk

"My dear Lord, any person who is constantly awaiting Your causeless mercy to be bestowed upon him, and who goes on suffering the resultant actions of his past misdeeds, offering You respectful obeisances from the core of his heart, is surely eligible to become liberated, for it has become his rightful claim."

So this is the key how to access the unlimited bliss of pure devotion. One simply has to have firm faith that in all circumstances Krishna is bestowing His causeless mercy upon His devotee to give him exactly what he needs for coming to the sublime transcendental platform of pure bhakti as soon as possible.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Saturday 29 January 2011

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

When Stumbling Blocks Become Stepping Stones

As long as we are in this material world we are going to be besieged by so many obstacles or stumbling blocks, because this material world by its very nature is problematic. Therefore in order to successfully navigate the path of bhakti we have to tolerantly persevere through so many difficulties. We will never be overwhelmed or psychologically devastated by these obstacles if we always take shelter of Krishna, remembering that He will never give us an obstacle which is greater than what we can handle. Therefore we should always see the stumbling blocks or obstacles as Krishna's special blessings to help us advance nicely and rapidly along the path of bhakti. In this way, if in the face of so many obstacles we always remain Krishna conscious, the stumbling blocks will all be transformed into stepping stones for our conveniently attaining the ultimate goal of pure devotion, pure Krishna bhakti.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Purity Required for Chanting?

I have been reading the Bhagavad-Gita As It Is. I have now finished Chapter 6 and came to Text 44 where in the purport it reads:

"Unless therefore one is purified, one cannot take to the principles of Krishna consciousness or become engaged in chanting the holy name of the Lord, Hare Krishna."

I had come to understand that anyone could take chanting. So this was a bit contradictory. Can you please clarify my doubt?

Regards,

Akhilesh

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Answer: Chanting Gives Purity

If somehow or other one takes to the chanting of the Lord's holy name, he will become purified and thus qualified to advance further and further along the path of pure bhakti. Generally if one takes to chanting it means that he is reaping the benefit of purification from his previous lifetime. But even if one has no previous pious activities, the holy name is so powerful that if one seriously takes up the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra, he will quickly and easily attain the supreme perfection of going back to home, back to Godhead.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Friday 28 January 2011

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

Don't Lose Your Cool

A Krishna conscious person always remains cool-headed or equipoised in all circumstances. He is not carried away by victory or defeat, or by gain and loss. In this way his mind is always peaceful, and he is always able to take shelter of Krishna and therefore experience the ultimate happiness, no matter what may be going on around him here in this material world.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Measure One's Purity?

I have been practicing Krishna consciousness for two years now, chanting 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra on japa beads every day and following the four regulative principles: no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat eating, and no gambling. I see a huge change in myself. Most of the time I am not distracted by material desires. My query is how to check to one's purity? And how to find out how more pure we have become? What are the symptoms of 100% purity?

Vikram

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Answer: Detachment from Sense Gratification

One's purity can be seen by how much he is detached from all forms of material sense gratification including the desire to be recognized. You mention that most of time you are not distracted by material desires. This means that you have made nice progress. But it also means that you are sometimes distracted by material desires, which means that you still have a way to go yet before you are 100% pure, completely free from all material desires.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Thursday 27 January 2011

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

Deep Sea Diving for the Ultimate Pearl

What could be more ecstatic than diving deeply every day in the ocean of bhakti for the ultimate pearl of Krishna prema (pure love of Krishna)? The real purpose of our existence is to become more and more realized in our eternal loving relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source of everything. We are not meant to remain selfish egotists forever battling it out in this material world on the conveyor belt of birth, death, old age, and disease. We are meant instead to be pure lovers of the Personality of Godhead relishing ever- increasingly ambrosial nectar in His ever-enlivening divine association.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Who Pleases Lord Krishna the Most?

Our total existence consists of soul-spirit, intellect, mind (conscious and sub-conscious mind) and body. We also have money and materials.

Let us see five types of mutually exclusive devotees as under:

1. He chants at least 64 rounds of mahamantra, which is basically a spiritual activity.

2. He does Bhagavad-gita preaching, after intense study. This is obviously an intellectual activity.

3. He manages the temple finance and accounts, which is primarily a mental activity.

4. He develops and maintains the temple garden, which is mainly a physical activity.

5. He offers a major donation for an upcoming temple, which is only a financial activity.

These persons are either not interested or capable to do any other activity than the said activity. Who pleases Lord Krishna the most of these five persons?

Mukesh Doshi

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Answer: Whoever Loves Krishna the Most?

Whoever has more love for Krishna will please the Lord the most. In other words, it is the quality of one's service that is important, not the particular type of service.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Wednesday 26 January 2011

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

Getting Ready for Our Next Lecture Tour

We are back for an eight weeks break at our home base in Austin, Texas. There will be a Srimad Bhagavatam class every day from 7 am until 8 am. Plus there is a wonderful Sunday Love Feast program every Sunday afternoon starting at 4:30 pm, which includes ecstatic kirtan (congregational mantra meditation), a traditional arati worship ceremony, a Bhagavad-gita lecture, and delicious vegetarian feast of Krishna prasadam. Everyone is invited to attend our programs at 10700 Jonwood Way in Austin, Texas. Those outside of Austin can hear our lectures at:

http://ultimateselfrealization.com/Videos/index.html

http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/Lectures/andromeda.php

We will be here until just after Gaura Purnima, the appearance day of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, departing on 26 March for Vrindavan, India. Our full schedule for 2011 is now posted at:

http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/schedule

We hope to meet you personally in 2011!

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Make Guru's Order One's Life and Soul?

Everything I seem to hear or read about these days seems to focus on absolute dedication to the order of the spiritual master and performing devotional service according to his instruction and for his pleasure. The essence of spiritual life.

Although I have so much to be grateful for still to have such single minded focus and heart felt dedication eludes me. What is required to make the instructions of the spiritual master ones life and soul?

Thank you
your servant
Rukmini devi dasi

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Answer: Do Whatever He Says

Dedication to guru's order is not theoretical. It is practical. So the answer to your question is very simple: Do whatever he says.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Tuesday 25 January 2011

from New Dwarka- -Los Angeles, California, USA
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Today's Thought:

What Could Be More Astounding and Sublime?

Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport to Sri Caitanya Caritamrita Adi Lila, Chapter 7, text 83:

"A sincere student aurally receives the holy name from the spiritual master, and after being initiated he follows the regulative principles given by the spiritual master. When the holy name is properly served in this way, automatically the spiritual nature of the holy name spreads; in other words, the devotee becomes qualified in offenselessly chanting the holy name. When one is completely fit to chant the holy name in this way, he is eligible to make disciples all over the world, and he actually becomes jagad-guru. Then the entire world, under his influence, begins to chant the holy names of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra."

From these wonderful words of Srila Prabhupada we can see the amazing potency of Krishna's holy name. Simply by properly serving the holy name according to the instructions of the spiritual master, by the power of the holy name the sincere student becomes qualified to chant the holy name offenselessly and is thus eligible to make disciples all over the world and actually become jagad-guru by influencing the entire world to take up the sublime path of Krishna bhakti. What could be more astounding and sublime than this?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

ISKCON--Los Angeles, California, USA

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Why Krishna Sent Me to this Earth?

Please accept my humble obeisances, and also my apologies if I've been writing too many emails asking different questions to you from time to time. But I like to hear from you and somehow feel that you can show me the path. I'm very much thankful to you for all the answers you have been sending me.

The question that is coming to my mind even after hearing so many lectures and chanting daily is: Why Krishna sent me to this earth? From spiritual understanding I get the answer to realize myself and go back to His kingdom. From materialists I get the answer that everybody is sent here for purpose to achieve (dreams, goals, etc) something in life. I also heard in one of your lectures that we wanted to enjoy separately from Krishna. So does that mean we were not happy with Krishna? But Krishna is so merciful even in this world He has given us facilities to enjoy life in different ways (both materialistic and spiritual). Why we wanted to enjoy separately from Krishna? Were we not happy doing his service in the transcendental Vaikuntha world? If so, then it means we were not perfect. Then still how were we in Vaikuntha? Initially before the material world started everybody must have been in Vaikuntha. If the spiritual Vaikuntha world is our real home, why was this material world created?

Please enlighten me with your loving words and free me from my doubts as this has started affecting my sadhana, my devotional practices.

Thank you

Sushant

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Answer: To Fulfill Your Desire to Be God

I am very pleased by your inquiring. Please continue to do so until your intelligence is fully satisfied. Kindly note that the import of these teachings will become clarified according to the degree of our surrender at the Lord's lotus feet. Therefore always try to become more and more absorbed in the mood of bhakti. In this way your intelligence will become more and more transcendentally empowered.

Because love must be voluntary, it cannot be forced, part of the Lord's perfect arrangement is to give the living beings free will so they can have a genuine loving relationship with Him. Free will means the independence to love Him or leave Him. Although everyone has perfect happiness in the Vaikuntha realm, because everyone has independence sometimes someone may think that there might be more happiness in being the Supreme rather than serving the Supreme. When the living entity desires in this way, the Lord, as His affectionate father, fulfills that person's desire by giving him a world in which he can imagine that he is the Supreme. And then when the foolish living being realizes his mistake and wants to return to being the Lord's servant in the spiritual world, the Lord gives him all facility by providing him with a spiritual master, saintly teachers, and bona fide scriptures to illuminate his pathway back to home, back to Godhead.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Monday 24 January 2011

from New Dwarka--Los Angeles, California, USA
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Today's Thought:

Directly Communing with God Every Day

Our daily japa meditation, in which we chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra, is the most auspicious opportunity to directly and intimately commune with God every day. If the rounds are uttered sincerely and attentively with love and devotion, the chanting becomes an experience of great spiritual depth and intensity in which one awakens profound feelings of appreciation, connection, and submission to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The chanting of these rounds every day is the most important practical activity for awakening the love of God within one's heart. Therefore when we accept someone as a disciple, the first requirement is that they must vow to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day without fail as a lifetime vow.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Srila Prabhupada Chanting Japa

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Accept Krishna as the Supreme?

I humbly request your good self to please tell me on what basis one can accept Lord Krishna as Lord or the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Your humble servant,

Nagireddy

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Answer: Scientifically

Krishna is not blindly accepted as the Supreme. We accept Him as such on the basis of scientific criteria. Krishna is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead because He is the original source of all existence and because no one can equal or excel Him in the possession of power, beauty, renunciation, knowledge, wealth, and fame.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Sunday 23 January 2011

from New Dwarka--Los Angeles, California, USA
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Today's Thought:

Connecting with the Universal Religion

There are many billions of people throughout the world who consider themselves religious. Generally each of them adheres to a particular religious tradition, which is in many ways similar and also in many ways different from other religious traditions. Often, they consider that their tradition is the only valid tradition, and that others who are not participants in their tradition are lost souls condemned to be denied access to the kingdom of God. In this way, they fail to see the true universal nature of religion. Unfortunately this exclusivist mentality leads to increasing chaos and conflict in a world that is already too much overburdened by chaos and conflict. Religion is supposed to be God's gift to man so that he can have a heaven on earth and qualify to return to God's kingdom upon leaving his current body. So what is going wrong? And what can be done to change it?

What's going wrong is that we approach God to fulfill our desires instead of His desires. In other words we approach Him with our contaminated consciousness of subtly considering ourselves to be the Supreme. We place ourselves over Him by asking Him to serve us instead of us serving Him. This is selfishness, not selflessness. And this is what is going wrong in the hearts of practically everyone who approaches God. To change this we must teach that selfless service to Supreme Person is the only way that one can experience genuine complete happiness. If the hand wants to get nourishment, it must give the food to the belly. God is like the belly and we are like the hand. So we must give everything to God. In this way, we will be the best servants of God and all living beings including ourselves.

So, the universal religion is pure selfless service to the Supreme Person, the source of all existence. The language of the universal religion takes different shapes according to the different traditions. But when one goes deep enough into any one tradition, he will arrive at exactly the same conclusion as anyone else who follows his own religious tradition deeply enough. Therefore instead of getting side tracked by the differences of the religious traditions, we should immediately try to capture the pure essence of religion, the universal religion of pure, unadulterated, selfless, loving service for the Supreme Person.

The difficulty is that we currently have a drastic shortage of enlightened teachers on this planet who are fully tuned into the original, pure essence of religion, the universal religion of pure selfless devotion to God. An enlightened teacher is someone who has gone deep enough into his own tradition to find the one universal root of all traditions. He is a teacher who has fully realized the one universal or absolute truth underlying all relative truths. If planet earth had a sufficient abundance of such enlightened teachers in each tradition, there could be instituted a global educational system which would easily bring to this tattered global society a truly profound golden era of peace, prosperity, and happiness for all.

This is the day that we are praying and crying for, Lord. May it come soon! May it come soon! May it come soon!

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Today's "Thought for the Day" was inspired by a conversation I had over breakfast on Saturday 22 January 2011 at ISKCON's center in Los Angeles, California, USA with Dr. Francis Clooney, the Director of the Center for the Study of World Religions at the Harvard Divinity School--Harvard University

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to See the Reality Beyond Illusion?

How can one open one's heart to the reality beyond this world of illusion? I can only see this world of illusion.

Deepa

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Answer: Open Your Heart to Krishna

You have to open your heart to Krishna by regularly chanting His holy names on a daily basis. And then when your heart becomes completely pure, the curtain of the material energy will be withdrawn and you will perceive Krishna, the ultimate source of reality, face to face, eye to eye.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Saturday 22 January 2011

from New Dwarka--Los Angeles, California, USA
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Today's Thought:

Lord Nrsimhadeva's Mercy

Last Thursday night in Lima, Peru as we were departing from our temporary residence for the Lima airport a large throng of devotees had assembled to give us a resounding, loving Hare Krishna send-off kirtan. There happened by a tall husky fellow standing nearby smoking a cigarette. Instead of being enlivened he was very much disturbed by the enthusiastic, joyful kirtan, so much so that he started yelling at the devotees to stop chanting. When they did not give in to his demand he approached the kirtan party in a threatening manner and continued his yelling. It was really absurd. Here is a group of people happily singing a beautiful song, and here is miserable guy puffing on a cigarette yelling and creating a disturbance. To calm him down the devotees stopped the kirtan and he retreated to the place where he had originally been standing and continued in his misery puffing on his cigarette. Then my wife instructed the devotees to resume the kirtan, which they did will great enthusiasm. This time instead of chanting Hare Krishna mantra they chanted the Nrsimha prayers, which have to potency to protect the devotees from the attack of the demons. This time by the mercy of Lord Nrsimhadeva the crazy fellow remained silent and the joyful send-off kirtan continued without incident as we drove off to the airport. All glories to Lord Nrsimhadeva, the protector of His devotees!

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Lord Nrsimhadeva, the Protector of the Devotees

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Develop Faith?

How should I develop faith?

Pradnya

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Answer: By These Three Activities

Firm faith is developed by associating with devotees, becoming initiated by the bona fide spiritual master, and by giving, up under his direction, all bad habits and attitudes. By these three activities the devotee becomes solidly situated in firm faith.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Friday 21 January 2011

from Lima, Peru
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Today's Thought:

Reconnect with Krishna

If you want to be who you really are, you can only do so if you will reconnect with Krishna, because Krishna is the source of your existence, the very ground of your being, and the absolute foundation of all existence. Just as we connect with any person through love, also with the Supreme Person we can only connect with Him through pure love. Any tinge of selfishness in our relationship with Him will simply block our access to Him. Therefore we should diligently uproot any and all of our selfish tendencies so we can experience the full nectar of being reinstated in our original identity as an intimate associate of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Delineating the Science of Bhakti
Lima, Peru--19 January 2011

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Go Deeper into the Holy Name?

I was attending one of your lectures at your recent retreat in Govinda Valley, Australia, and you said to go deeper into the holy name while chanting. How can one do so?

Thank you,
Your Servant

Nandan

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Answer: Dovetail Perfectly with Krishna

The way to go deeper into the holy name is to become so much absorbed in the sweet sound of Krishna's holy name that the entire material world fades into insignificance. When you remember that this material world really has nothing to offer you except for temporality, illusion, and misery and that Krishna is offering you eternity, knowledge, and bliss--you will naturally divert your attention more and more to Krishna and less and less to this material world. This is the meaning of going deeper into the holy name. Of course this does not mean that the devotee neglects this material world. When he comes out of his daily japa meditation he fully absorbs himself in saving the poor suffering souls of this material world from their illusory, temporary existence. In this way he perfectly dovetails his consciousness with Krishna both internally and externally.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Thursday 20 January 2011

from Lima, Peru
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Today's Thought:

Entering Into Eternity

By fully absorbing your life in devotional service under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master you have already regained your eternal identity in the spiritual world. Of course, it will take time to become fully awakened and matured in your identity. But as soon as you begin to conduct your life's activities under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master you have already regained your real identity as Krishna's eternal servant. You have already regained your constitutional position of eternity, knowledge, and bliss.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Explaining Eternal Blissful Existence
Lima, Peru--18 January 2011

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Krishna Consciousness Without Knowledge of My Last Life?

If one is not able to see his past life and relate to the consequences of karma in the past or the current life, how would someone be inclined to become God fearing or Krishna conscious?

I don’t know what I did in my past life except believe that if things are good now that it was due to my pious actions in the last life. Neither do I know what is going to happen in my next life. Please enlighten.

Ajit

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Answer: Sufficient to See How Bad this Life Is

An intelligent person does not require any information regarding his past lives in order to gain impetus for the self-realization process. He can clearly see that this material world is a place of suffering where everyone is dragged by the laws of nature through birth, death, old age, and disease, and that a life of such suffering is not acceptable to a being who always desires happiness. He understands that life just could not be this bad, and thus searches to find that life which is fully in harmony with his own inner desire for unlimited bliss. When he opens his heart fully to the reality beyond illusion, he discovers the Supreme All-Loving, All-Wonderful Person, Lord Sri Krishna, and he becomes fully enlightened and ecstatic.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Wednesday 19 January 2011

from Lima, Peru
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Today's Thought:

For a Devotee Every Day is Bliss as Usual

A devotee of the Lord does not base his bliss on his material circumstances. The basis of his bliss is to be fully absorbed in Krishna consciousness by always endeavoring at every minute to successfully carry out the orders he has received from his spiritual master. He is not elated by success because he never thinks it is his success. He only sees it as the mercy of the Lord. And he is never depressed or discouraged by failure because he simply sees as the merciful arrangement of the Lord to help His devotee feel more and more dependent on the mercy of the Lord. In other words, in all situations his happiness is simply to understand and feel how the Lord is being merciful to him. Thus he is always blissful in all situations.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Inviting the People Back to the Spiritual World
Valparaiso, Chile--17 January 2011

Transcendental Chilean Farewell
Santiago, Chile--18 January 2011

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: What is Your Stage of Advancement?

On 26 December 2010 you talked about the stages a devotee goes through progressing on the path of bhakti. If I may, I would like to inquire about what stage you are at, what you experience, and maybe even a few examples of revelational and mystical experiences you've had along the pathway of spiritual progress..

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything.

Nick

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Answer: Rascal Fully Absorbed in Guru's Service

Personally I consider myself to be nowhere along the path of spiritual advancement. In my opinion I am simply a despicable rascal.

But according to the great Vaisnava acharya, Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur, we can judge how much a devotee is advanced along the path of bhakti by how successful he is in spreading the science of Krishna consciousness all over the world. So if you want to understand my position, you can consider that I am guiding over 12,000 people in the science of bhakti in over 100 countries, that I have initiated disciples in every continent of the globe, and that I am fully absorbed in trying to carry out my spiritual master's order to be a guru and deliver the entire world.

For forty years since my initiation into Krishna consciousness in 1971 I have faithfully served the orders of my spiritual master, His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. By this absorption my every day is the sweetest revelational, mystical happiness of ever-expanding Krishna consciousness. So now you can decide for yourself what is my position in Krishna consciousness.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Tuesday 18 January 2011

from Santiago, Chile
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Today's Thought:

Explosion of Bliss

On Sunday 16 January 2011 the city of Santiago, Chile exploded in transcendental bliss. Lord Jagannatha along with His brother and sister, Balarama and Subhadra, came out of seclusion in the temple to grace the streets of Santiago with their divine presence. Hundreds of devotees and guests chanted and danced in ecstasy in the streets of Santiago along with the help of the Santiago police department, who blocked off the streets from all traffic. The parade ended in a park in Santiago's prestigious Ñuñoa district where I gave a lecture, there was transcendental musical entertainment from the stage, and Krishna prasadam was served freely to all.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Super Ecstatic Ratha Yatra Festival
Santiago, Chile--16 January 2011

Introducing the People to Krishna Consciousness

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: What is Bhakti?

Thank you for your illuminating words. Just one question for now: What is bhakti?

Anna

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Answer: Pure Devotion for the Supreme Lord

Bhakti is pure loving devotion for the Supreme Lord. One who has bhakti fully dedicates his life in the service of God without asking for anything in return.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Monday 17 January 2011

from Santiago, Chile
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Today's Thought:

Realize Your Full Human Potential

If you want to realize your full human potential, the first step is that you have to understand that you are not your body. If you continue to misidentify yourself with your material body thinking that it is you, you are doing nothing but holding up your progress. Therefore the first step for you to make in realizing your full potential is to solidly assert your eternal spiritual identity as a servant of God. And if you will then base all of your life's decisions on this platform of understanding, you will be able to actualize your full potential as a powerful, effective human being.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Teaching Full Realization of Human Potential
Santiago, Chile--14 January 2011

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Not Take Birth as a Demigod?

It is said that if one is successful in his devotional life he will go back to Godhead and that if he is not able to fully perfect his spiritual life he will either take birth again and continue his devotion from there onwards or he might get birth into a demigod's body to fulfill his material desires. So how should I practice devotion so that, if not completed in this birth, I will be sure to get birth in human form to continue with my devotional practice, so that I will not become a demigod and diverted from the path of bhakti?

With regards,
Your servant
Ankur

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Answer: Always Keep Bhakti As Your Only Goal

If you will seriously dedicate this life in Krishna's service, you will either go back to Godhead at the end of this lifetime, or if you still have material desires, you will get another material body to fulfill those desires and continue with your practice of Krishna consciousness. The key is to have only one goal in your life, to become a pure devotee of Lord Krishna. If you will keep this goal always in the forefront of your consciousness, you will either go back to Godhead or take birth as a devotee to continue your spiritual progress.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Sunday 16 January 2011

from Santiago, Chile
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Today's Thought:

The Whole World is Dying for this Nectar

The entire world population is dying for, hankering for the most sublime nectar of Krishna consciousness, but due to ignorance everyone is looking for this nectar in the wrong places. Instead of tasting the unlimited nectar to be had in Krishna's supremely holy name, they try to squeeze nectar from sex life, intoxication, meat eating, gambling and other such useless pursuits. In this way, just like a man dying from thirst who crawls futilely after a mirage in the desert, they completely spoil their energy in mundane pursuits, which take them nowhere except to increased frustration. Therefore the greatest need for the suffering humanity is the wide scale introduction of the sublime process of Krishna consciousness.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Sharing Sublime Krishna Consciousness Nectar
Santiago, Chile--14 January 2011

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Why Am I Not Tasting the Ecstasy?

I am chanting, reading from the Srimad Bhagavatam, the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, the Nectar of Devotion, and the Krishna Book every day. And I do arati morning and evening. Why is it then that I am not developing that kind of ecstasy that I see most of the devotees experience? Am I not doing these with aptness? I am confused. Maybe it's because I am totally immersed in the material world. I really don't know. I need to enhance my devotion to Lord Krishna.

Lakshmi

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Answer: You Are Lacking a Foundation

I understand that you are feeling frustrated that in spite of all your efforts you are not tasting the nectar of Krishna consciousness. Do not worry. Your problem can easily be solved. You are doing so many wonderful devotional activities, but you are doing them without a solid foundation. Now you simply need to base them on the solid foundation explained by Srila Rupa Goswami. Once this foundation is solidly established you will be blissfully absorbed in bhakti bliss 24 hours daily, even if you have so many material duties to execute on a regular daily basis. Rupa Goswami's foundation as described by Srila Prabhupada in the Nectar of Devotion is as follows:

1. Take shelter of the bona fide spiritual master
2. Get initiated by the bona fide spiritual master
3. Follow the instructions of the bona fide spiritual master

I can assure you that if you will solidly adopt the above three principles, you will experience and ecstatic awakening of love of God within your heart.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Saturday 15 January 2011

from Santiago, Chile
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Today's Thought:

Another Day, Another Adventure

Every day is an exciting adventure in a life dedicated to pulling off a world revolution for the complete respiritualization of the human society. Our agenda is not political. We do not aspire for any sort of political power. Simply we want that all the world leaders should now become very serious about the science of self-realization. It is not due to a shortage of material resources that the human civilization is become more and more devastated by difficulties. It is rather simply due to gross ignorance of the relationship between the individual self and the Supreme Self that pandemonium is more and more breaking loose on this planet. Therefore our revolutionary attempt is to enlighten everyone in every, town, village, hamlet, and settlement in the sublime science of the self, atma tattva.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Teaching Pure Bhakti
Mendoza, Argentina--13 January 2011

View of the Andes Mountains
From New Gundica Dham Farm:
Our Residence in Mendoza, Argentina

Delectable New Gundica Plums
Just Suitable for Offering to Krishna

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Have You Seen God?

Your daily "Thought for the Day" emails are like a regular supply of water to the sapling of my interest and love for Krishna. I am very eager to see Krishna. I want to know if you have seen Krishna, face-to-face, eye-to-eye. I am sorry if I sound audacious but I am really very eager to see Krishna and that's the reason I want to know.

Pranathi

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Answer: Constantly Seen in My Guru's Orders

Krishna has manifested Himself before me in the form of the orders that I have received from my spiritual master to become guru and deliver the entire world. It is this vision of Krishna that sustains me through all varieties of pleasing and displeasing situations.

So, my best advise to you is that if you are very eager to see Krishna, you should fully surrender yourself to the orders received from the spiritual master. In this way you will be able to see Krishna 24 hours daily.

In this connection Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.39 as follows:

"Communion with the Lord by transmission of the transcendental sound is nondifferent from the whole spirit Lord Sri Krishna. It is a completely perfect method for approaching the Lord. By such pure contact with the Lord, without offense of material conceptions (numbering ten), the devotee can rise above the material plane to understand the inner meaning of the Vedic literatures, including the Lord's existence in the transcendental realm. The Lord reveals His identity gradually to one who has unflinching faith, both in the spiritual master and in the Lord. After this, the devotee is endowed with mystic opulences, which are eight in number. And above all, the devotee is accepted in the confidential entourage of the Lord and is entrusted with specific service of the Lord through the agency of the spiritual master."

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Friday 14 January 2011

from Mendoza, Argentina
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Today's Thought:

Get Upgraded to Perpetual First Class

Every position in this material world is last class. Everyone here is struggling hard to be in the best possible position, but they do not realize that even the topmost positions in this material world are last class because at the time of death everyone has to die, just like a dog has to die. So why struggle so hard to achieve a false first class position? It is better to get upgraded from last class to the real and perpetual first class position of pure devotional service. There is no position like pure devotional service because in this position of pure bhakti, Krishna or God--the supreme owner, controller, and enjoyer of everything--becomes your personal property. No one has better facility for living life to its fullest than Krishna's pure devotee. Even Krishna Himself becomes His own devotee in order the taste the first class pleasure.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Introducing the Vegetarians to Krishnaterianism
Govinda's Restaurant--Mendoza, Argentina
12 Janury 2011

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Develop Faith?

I do not believe in blind faith. I would like to know how should I develop faith?

Pradnya

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Answer: Hear and Chant As Much as Possible

Faith is developed by hearing and chanting, because the more you hear and chant about Krishna, the more you will personally experience Krishna. And the more that you tangibly experience Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the more you will naturally develop strong experiential or empirical faith.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Thursday 13 January 2011

from Santiago, Chile
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Today's Thought:

Krishnize the World As Soon As Possible

Our goal is to revolutionize this planet by the wide scale introduction of the science of Krishna consciousness, because we cannot tolerate to see the human population so much unnecessarily tortured by so many varieties of suffering conditions. There is no reason for the world society to be in such a miserable condition, because all they have to do to achieve unlimited happiness is awaken their dormant Krishna consciousness. In this way, the entire world society can become peaceful, prosperous, and happy. Therefore we members of the Krishna consciousness movement have as our goal to as soon as possible awaken the entire human society to the sublime truth that they are not their material bodies, that they are instead the eternal spirit-soul servants of Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Pushing Forward the Krishna Consciousness
Movement Along with Prahladananda Swami
Auckland, New Zealand--10 January 2011

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How Can I Get Liberated?

How can I get liberated from material existence through my mind? What are the main defects in thinking of ourselves as body? How can I motivate myself in Krishna consciousness consistently?

Parag R. Rane

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Answer: Always Think of Krishna

To easily be liberated from material existence all you have to do is to always engage your mind in thinking of Krishna. The main defect of considering yourself to be your body is that such thoughts will bind you to the cycle of repeated birth, death, old age, and disease. The way to be consistently motivated in Krishna consciousness is described by Srila Rupa Goswami. He lists these three items as the most important:

1. Take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master.
2. Take initiation from the bona fide spiritual master.
3. Follow the instructions of the bona fide spiritual master.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Wednesday 12 January 2011

from Auckland, New Zealand
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Today's Thought:

Onwards to Our Next Destination

11 January 2011--After a wonderful month of Krishna conscious caring and sharing in Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, we are heading out today for a three nation lecture tour in South America: Argentina, Chile, and Peru. After that we will be going up to Los Angeles, for a three lecture series, and then back to our home base, Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Austin, Texas, where we will remain up until Gaura Purnima, the transcendental appearance day of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Travelling all over the world for spreading Krishna consciousness is unlimitedly rewarding because the more we give Krishna, the more we get Krishna.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

South America--Our Next Stop

AAnswers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Eternal Relationships?

My Dear Gurudeva,

Humble obeisances to you.

I want to know whether the father–son relationship and husband-wife relationship are eternal. I mean, in the next life also will I be the son of my father, and my wife will be same in the next birth?

Sanil

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Answer: Material Relationships Are Temporary

All material relationships are temporary. We've had millions of fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, husbands, and wives in millions of lifetimes. This is just like the sticks floating in the ocean which gather together by influence of the waves and are then scattered only to again bunch together in different patterns by the actions of the waves.

But, if we have any affection for our present family members, we should become pure devotees of Krishna and make our family members also pure devotees of Lord Krishna. Then we can all go to the spiritual world where we will serve Krishna eternally and will be able to remember how we were devotee family members during our final lifetime in the material world.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Tuesday 11 January 2011

from Auckland, New Zealand
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Today's Thought:

How to Shrink this Material Existence

This material world is a vast impossible-to-cross ocean of space. Even if you were to travel at the speed of light or even at the speed of the mind for millions and billions of years, you would not be able to cross over this material existence and enter into three-fourths portion of reality, the transcendental spiritual sky, which exists far beyond time and space. However, if you will take complete shelter of the boat of the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krishna, that Supreme Person, who is the source of all existence, that vast insurmountable ocean of material existence will shrink down to the amount of water contained within the hoof print of a calf, and you will easily be able to cross beyond it and enter as a participant into inconceivably sublimes of Lord Sri Krishna in that wondrous spiritual sky.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

"Shrink Material World to Calf's Hoof Print Size"
Auckland, New Zealand--7 January 2011

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How We Accept Krishna as Supreme?

I humbly request your good self to please tell me on what basis one can accept Lord Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead?

Nagireddy

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Answer: From Scripture, Acharyas, & Experience

Our basis for accepting Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the authoritative evidence given in the Vedic scriptures as confirmed by the great acharyas (saintly teachers) who guided the Vedic civilization for hundreds of thousands of years. Plus when one fully awakens his divine consciousness he will personally experience how Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Monday 10 January 2011

from Wellington, New Zealand
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Today's Thought:

World Transforming Potency of Lord Caitanya

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krishna Himself. Thus He has the full potency to do anything possible or impossible. He inaugurated the sankirtana movement, the chanting the holy names of God, 500 years ago for the purpose of delivering the suffering souls in this material world back to home, back to Godhead. Anyone who takes advantage of this chanting process will quickly make progress on the pathway of spiritual emancipation and become supremely happy.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Expounding Lord Caitanya's Teachings
Auckland, New Zealand--6 January 2011

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Will Jesus Save Us?

When this material world is created who is the first person born in this world? And, who is Jesus? Christians say that if we pray to Jesus, he will save us. Please clarify my doubt.

Sairam

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Answer: Not If We Crave Sense Gratification

The first person who takes birth in the universe is Lord Brahma. He is born from the lotus flower which grows from the abdomen of Garbhodakasayi Vishnu.

If one remains addicted to sinful activities such as meat eating, intoxication, illicit sex, and gambling, no matter how much he may pray, he cannot be delivered because he would be miserable in the pure atmosphere of the spiritual world. Anyone who wants to be delivered from this material existence must purify his heart of the desire for sense gratification by awakening an attraction to the transcendental name, fame, form, pastimes, qualities, entourage, paraphernalia, and service of the Supreme Person.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Sunday 9 January 2011

from Wellington, New Zealand
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Today's Thought:

Serving Guru Eternally

Regarding his spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada writes, "He lives forever by his divine instructions and the follower lives with him." This is a fact for the bona fide spiritual master. He lives forever by his divine instructions and his followers live with him. He serves his spiritual master faithfully in this lifetime both by rendering him loving personal service as well as by following his instructions. And upon returning back to home, back to Godhead he eternally serves his spiritual in that wondrous transcendental abode.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Chanting, But Not Following Rules

Your Grace,

I am thoroughly confused. The first Krishna consciousness book I read, "Chant and Be Happy," simply said to chant the maha-mantra, which I began doing. But then, the more I read (and heard), the more rules and regulations got added. I wish to God I could meet all these many requirements, but, at this point, I don't seem able to. Should I just give up, or is it still worthwhile to chant the mantra? I read the Bhagavad-gita daily, trying to understand, but I've read it several hundred times before, and clearly I have not yet understood it. The thing is, I'm wondering if I'm just doomed, buried in the mound of past karma. I really don't know how to proceed, or even if I can proceed. And yet, if I am in fact doomed, then why am I asking this question? Deep down, even though I don't understand Him, I do know that Krishna is the Lord, and that I am merely His servant. Please enlighten me, Your Grace.

Hare Krishna,
A.

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Answer: Chant and Be Happy Now, Rules Later

Don't worry about the rules and regulations of Krishna consciousness. Simply chant Hare Krishna and be happy. As you become more and more deeply absorbed in the sweet nectar of Krishna's name, your bad habits will naturally fall by the wayside as you become more and more deeply absorbed in the nectarean ocean of Lord Sri Krishna's unlimitedly sweet holy name. Eventually you will happily embrace all of the rules and regulations for the purpose of diving even deeper into that unlimitedly sweet ocean.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Saturday 8 January 2011

from Auckland, New Zealand
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Today's Thought:

Stuck at Night on the Side of the Road

6 January 2011--After an evening preaching engagement in Hamilton, New Zealand on a two hour drive back to Auckland our van broke down in the middle of nowhere and we were stuck for over an hour in the pitch black before devotees from Hamilton arrived to drive us on to Auckland. Since our van was dangerously situated on the edge of the dark highway, we relocated ourselves on the top of a small hill overlooking the highway. Being very backlogged on answering my emails I did not want to waste any time. So I took out my laptop computer for answering the questions from my devoted and sometime challenging readers from all over the world. For those of you who are awaiting answers to your questions, please be patient, because I am currently about two weeks behind on my correspondence.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Roadside Emails in the Dark
(Unknown Location) New Zealand-6 January 2011

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Scientific Proof of Krishna's Creation

Please give me one scientific proof that this whole universe is created by Krishna. Please enlighten me.

Aluru

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Answer: See How He is Breathing

We have our proof that the sunshine is emanating from the sun because we can see it every morning lighting up the eastern sky. Similarly we have our proof that Krishna is the creator of the universe because we see that it is emanating from His breathing.

Just as an owl cannot see the sun because of his closed eyes and thus remains in the dark regarding the truth of the sunrise, similarly the materialist cannot see Krishna and remains in the dark about His being the source of all existence.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Friday 7 January 2011

from Auckland, New Zealand
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Today's Thought:

It's Time for the World Leaders to Step Down

It is enjoined in the Srimad Bhagavatam that one should not become a guru, a father, a mother, or any kind of leader unless he can deliver his dependents from the cycle of birth and death. To take any kind of leadership position is only allowed for those who can give Krishna consciousness to their dependents. This means that it is now time for all the world leaders to either become trained up in Krishna consciousness or to step down from their positions.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Calling for a Krishna Conscious World
Auckland, New Zealand--5 January 2011

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Develop Faith?

I do not believe in blind faith. I would like to know how should I develop faith?

Pradnya

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Answer: Empirical Faith from Experience

Before you get on an elevator you may be skeptical that the cable will break if you get on it. But after entering the elevator and being successfully lifted to a higher floor without the cable breaking you now have faith in that elevator. Your faith is not blind because it is based on your experience that the elevator is safe.

In a similar way, you may be skeptical that the process of Krishna consciousness can elevate your consciousness. But after trying it and experiencing the upliftment, you will now have faith in its effectiveness. Such faith in Krishna consciousness is not blind because it is experiential or empirical faith based on your own personal experience.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Thursday 6 January 2011

from Auckland, New Zealand
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Today's Thought:

How to Never Feel Lonely

A devotee of the Lord is always happy because he always sees the loving hand of the Lord operating in all times, places, and circumstances. He never feels lonely because He knows that Krishna is with him always, blessing him and guiding him in all circumstances. After all, who could ever feel lonely when he has the constant association of the most beautiful, powerful, renounced, knowledgeable, wealthy, and famous person in all of existence?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Non-Existent Material Body?

In Bhagavad-Gita 2.16, Lord Krishna describes the material body as non-existent. I can understand that the material body is slowly changing at every moment (a change we thermodynamists called quasi-steady in many studies). But the body does exist. Just as the world does. Can you please put in simple worlds what Lord Krishna means when He says that the material body is non-existent?

Deodat

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Answer: No Permanent Existence

When the material body is described as non-existent, this means that it has no permanent existence.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Wednesday 5 January 2011

from Auckland, New Zealand

Today's Thought:

Spitting at the Thought of Sex

A person who has gotten the higher taste for Krishna consciousness is no longer interested in any form of material sense gratification because he is constantly relishing the unlimitedly sweet mellows of Krishna consciousness within his heart. Even the most alluring pleasure of this material world, sex pleasure, is no longer of interest to him. If somehow or other the thought of sex pleasure enters his brain, he spits at the thought and drives it out of his brain because he would rather go deeper and deeper into his loving relationship with Krishna than give his senses some temporary cheap pleasure which distracts him from life's goal.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Who is God? Can We See Him?

I would like to ask you: Who is God? As fallen souls, since we have immature senses, is it possible to see God? As per my knowledge, we can see goodness, but we cannot see God. Is this true?

Avula

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Answer: Krishna Can Be Seen When He Reveals Himself

We learn from the authoritative scriptures that God, the original person from whom everything is coming, is Krishna. It is not possible with our imperfect senses to see Him. But when He chooses to reveal Himself to us, by His power we can see Him.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Tuesday 4 January 2011

from Auckland, New Zealand
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Today's Thought:

Become Competent to Lead the World

Do not remain a slave of your senses, a dancing dog of their constant dictates. Become instead a master of your senses by intelligently managing your senses in all times places and circumstances by engaging them in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such a person who always vigilantly and diligently manages his senses is called a goswami, a master of the senses. That person who becomes 100% qualified as a goswami is fully competent to lead the entire world out of its present chaotic condition. The world at present desperately needs such genuine goswamis. Therefore, the mission of the Krishna consciousness movement is to create goswamis all over the world, who can usher in a new age of peace and prosperity for the entire human civilization. We are thus requesting all thoughtful men and women of all nations to come forward now and take the training for becoming competent to lead the world.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Is God's Creation Defective?

Gurudeva
Please accept my namaskar.

I have a question. The population of earth is so huge. So many persons have come to the material world. Does this mean that God's creation is defective? Why didn't God create us in such a fashion that we do not have to ever fall to this material world? And even falling into this world, why should we suffer? Why didn't God create things in such a way that even here you enjoy life without forgetting the Supreme? Why do we forget Him? Is this a defect in the way He created us. I get this question most of the time. Can you please clarify.

Thanks a lot.

Sanjeev

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Answer: We Should Not Blame God for Our Mistake

God has created us in such a way that do not ever have to fall into this material world. Our real nature is to always happily remain in the service of God. Our defect is that instead of remaining our natural God-created selves we sometimes foolish try to defy God's preeminence, positioning ourselves as God instead. God does not send us here to this material world. We sometimes send ourselves here out of a foolish desire to live in a world where we can be God.

Another defect we have is that instead of owning up to our mistake we sometimes try to blame God for our mistake of defying Him. Can the criminal blame the government for his becoming a criminal? No. It is his fault. When the police come to arrest him, can he claim that he is not guilty, that they should arrest the government for his crimes instead of arresting him? Such a thing would be ludicrous. So why are we so foolishly trying to pin the blame on God for our own nonsense? This is not very appropriate.

We can be happy even in this world, if we will always remember the Lord. He is giving us all facility to do so. Those who are actually intelligent take advantage of the instructions contained in the Bhagavad-gita and mold their lives in such a way that they can always, at every second, remember their beloved Lord, Sri Krishna and thus taste the sweetest happiness at every minute.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Monday 3 January 2011

from Melbourne, Australia
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Today's Thought:

Awesome World-Deliverance Mission

Every day I remember the awesome world-deliverance mission given to us by our beloved spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, that we must deliver the entire world from ignorance and suffering, and I pray for his mercy that I can be fully absorbed 24 hours a day with all of my thoughts, words, and deeds in serving this mission to the very best of my capacities. Is it possible that we can be successful? Just as materially speaking it would be impossible to build a bridge of floating boulders between India and Sri Lanka for Lord Rama and His monkey army to cross the ocean and defeat Ravana, similarly from a material point of view, it would be impossible for a small band of devotees to deliver the entire material civilization from its chaotic condition. And just as Lord Rama and His army were successful, it is possible, by the inconceivable potency of Lord Caitanya, that we can be successful too. Therefore we must make an all-out herculean effort to pull off what will be noted by the historians as the greatest paradigm shift in history.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

The World Civilization Awaits Deliverance

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Challenge: Why Chant? Following God's Will Is Chanting.

Why to chant the mantra? God has created life, so living according to His will itself should be like chanting.

I believe wherever is happiness there is truth and that is chanting.

What is the guarantee that the soul will exist after death, or who knows we will get other birth?

Who says that our actions are related with our next birth?

Shrinivas

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Answer: Chant Because God Wills That You Chant

It is it fact that living by the Lord's will is as good as chanting. But since the Lord has clearly stated His will in the Bhagavad-gita that we should be always engaged in chanting His name, living by the Lord's will means that we should always be chanting as much as possible. In fact if we do not chant, we are not abiding by His will. I sincerely hope that you can understand this simple point.

There are two kinds of happiness: illusory and real. Just like the mirage in the desert appears to be water but is nothing but dry sand, the illusory happiness of this material world has no real substance and can therefore not bring us genuine, lasting happiness. Actual happiness comes when we reconnect through loving service with the Absolute Truth, Supreme Person, the source of all existence. In this age this perfection of consciousness is attained through chanting the holy names of God.

Just as your body is constantly changing in this lifetime, similarly the time of death is simply another change of body. The higher authorities in the universe know what kind of body you will attain in your next lifetime because that change of body goes on under their direction in accordance with your activities in this present lifetime. This is confirmed throughout the Vedic literatures. Therefore those who are actually intelligent and philosophically inclined focus their energies on awakening their dormant Krishna consciousness so that in their next life they will attain an eternal, youthful body which is full of bliss and full of knowledge.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Sunday 2 January 2011

from Melbourne, Australia
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Today's Thought:

Caring Means Sharing

The pure devotee of Krishna truly cares for those persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in this age of Kali. Because he cares so much for them he fully dedicates his entire life for sharing with them the sublime science of reviving their lost consciousness by reconnecting with the original person through loving service. That original person, known by hundreds and millions of names, is called Vishnu or Krishna by the students of the Bhagavad-gita.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Srila Prabhupada Mercifully
Brings Krishna Consciousness to the West
San Francisco, Golden Gate Park--1967

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Spirituality and Religion

What is the difference between spirituality and religion?

Salil Agarwal

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Answer: Real Religion Breeds Spirituality

Real religion breeds spirituality. In other words, through genuine religion we attain the exalted state known as spirituality, pure love for God. Any religious system which does not bring us to perfectional stage of spirituality is bogus.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Saturday 1 January 2011

from Melbourne, Australia
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Today's Thought:

Stagnation or Celebration

Just as water that does not flow becomes stagnant, our Krishna consciousness becomes stagnant if we are not always trying to advance ourselves more and more along the path of bhakti. Therefore in order to taste the sweetest, ever-increasing happiness, peace, and satisfaction we should always be making an ongoing effort to advance ourselves more and more in Krishna consciousness. If we do so, our every day will be a great celebration of transcendental bliss.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Sharing the Celebration
Govinda Valley, Australia--26 December 2010

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Is the Guru Krishna?

Dear Gurudeva,

According to Bhagavad-Gita 7.18, Lord Krishna considers the spiritual master just as His own self:

udārāḥ sarva evaite
jñānī tv ātmaiva me matam

"All these devotees are undoubtedly magnanimous souls,
but he who is situated in knowledge of Me
I consider to be just like My own self."
--Bhagavad- gita 7.18

Therefore, is it my duty to see you, treat you, and think of you just as Lord Krishna?

Li Di

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Answer: No, But Respected as Good as Krishna

It is a fact that the spiritual master is to be respected as good as God. Why? Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastraih. It is declared in all Vedic literatures that the spiritual master is as good as God. It is not that he is God, but he is as good as God. The Mayavadis think that the spiritual master is God, but this is not a fact. We Vaisnavas do not accept this theory. It is not possible that a man can become God. But because the spiritual master is God's representative he is honored as God. It is not that he has become God. Kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya. Just like you have got a dear son, if somebody pats your son, or even pats your dog, you become pleased. So the spiritual master is the very confidential servant, dog of God. Therefore if you can please him, yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah. If you can please the spiritual master, then God is pleased. Just like your small child, if somebody pleases that child, you become automatically pleased. You can please that child with a two-cents-worth piece of candy. But to please you it may require thousands of dollars. So you can finish the business by offering a piece of candy. So this is the position of a spiritual master. People should not misunderstand that this person is sitting very comfortably and taking all honors and contributions. No. It is not like that. It is needed just to teach the disciples how to respect the representative of God.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari