Another Day, Another Adventure

Today we are heading out for a new chapter in our ever-increasingly ecstatic traveling and preaching all over the world program. Since last Thursday we have been diving into a ocean of unending bliss here at the ISKCON center in Helsinki, Finland. This place is a real oasis in this desert of material existence. There is a wonderful crew of devotees here under the guidance of Sriman Tattvavada Prabhu, a former Finnish military officer. There is such a warm family feeling here that whenever I return here I feel like I have come home. Even when I am not physically here, I am connecting myself with this transcendental abode by remembrance. Their most merciful Lordships Sri Sri Gaura Nitai preside here over Finland bestowing unlimited mercy upon the Finns.

Gaura-Nitai, ISKCON center in Helsinki, Finland

vande sri-krsna-caitanya-
nityanandau sahoditau
gaudodaye puspavantau
citrau san-dau tamo-nudau

"I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Krishna Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, who are like the sun and moon. They have arisen simultaneously on the horizon of Gauda to dissipate the darkness of ignorance and thus wonderfully bestow benediction upon all."
Caitanya-Caritamrita Adi 1.2

So as we cruise the Gulf of Finland this morning on a ship to Tallinn, Estonia my heart will be full with sweet memories of the uplifting Krishna consciousness atmosphere that we have so much relished here at ISKCON Helsinki.

Answers According to the Vedic Version

Question: Solution to Stop Suffering?...

What is the solution to stop suffering?

I understand it is necessary to stop all my desires and focus only on God/Krishna by chanting his holy names, associating with other devotees etc. Fair enough - it really makes me happy to tune into Krishna consciousness.

But adapting my life so that Krishna becomes my only desire is not very practical.I desire to move myself to a meeting in Brussels. I desire to buy clothes for my children. I desire so many things, because if I don't, they do not spontaneously materialize. Well... sometimes they do, but often they don't. :-)

The thing is - now we are here in this material world anyway, why not make the best of it? Why not lead a Krishna conscious life AND be a famous pop star like George Harrison? Why are devotees directed to a lifestyle that is so alienated from modern society? Especially because we are told so little about life in the spiritual world.

Doesn't Sanatan Dharma need to be updated constantly into a vibrant lifestyle, celebrating the Supreme Personality of Godhead in all His manifestations?

Why don't we place more emphasis on the coming golden age and how it will be for the average soul?

Your somewhat confused servant

Answer: Guru's Guidance...

You have properly understood how to put a stop to suffering by becoming fully absorbed in Krishna consciousness. But you are having difficulty realizing how to make this a practical reality when you deal with your day to day existence.

In this regard, kindly try to understand that you do not have to give up your material desires. All you have to do is spiritualize your material desires by connecting them with Krishna. For example, if you can become a famous pop star that is very nice. It is a mistake to give up one's material talents. They simply should utilized in the service of Krishna.

Devotees have an option of living a monastic life of full time preaching and worship. Or if they prefer they can live a secular life working in the material society offering the fruits of their work to Krishna. Either path is valid. But both paths should be carefully tread under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master. Then there will be spiritual success.

Sanatan Dharma, the eternal occupational duty of surrendering ourselves at the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krishna, is always high tech. Therefore it does not require to be updated. This is a fact because Sanatan Dharma exists in its pure form completely beyond the realm of time. Therefore it is just as fresh and new now in 2007 as it was 5,000 years ago when Krishna revealed it to Arjuna.

What we emphasize the most is how the individual can fully enter into the Golden Age right now by fully surrendering unto Lord Sri Krishna.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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