Ultimate Self Realization

Krishna consciousness is so nice that it brings immediate relief from all kinds of material distress. Whether we are being irritated by a small annoyance or besieged by a major catastrophe, in either case if we take shelter of Krishna our minds will become peaceful. All we have to do is remember that Krishna is the best friend of all living beings and that because He owns everything, everything is for His enjoyment. This consciousness is called Krishna consciousness and brings swift relief from all kinds of distress. This is confirmed as follows in the Bhagavad-gita: "A person in full consciousness of Me, knowing Me to be the ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods, and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attains peace from the pangs of material miseries." Bhagavad-gita 5.29 Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Why God Made Us Suffer? Why did Krishna

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride to spiritual perfection, even if there are a few bumps along the road. There's nothing better to do with your human form of life than to make the ultimate journey back to the Spiritual Sky. Other pathways may sometimes appear to be smoother, but all they do is take you in circles through the 8,400,000 different species of life. In the final analysis they are much bumpier than the pathway to perfection. Therefore tolerate whatever austerities you may find in Krishna consciousness and attain the Supreme Nirvana of pure love of Godhead in this every lifetime. The spiritual master is your best friend to guide you, bless you, and inspire you every step along the way. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Imperfect Love I have read one of Srila Prabhupada's articles in which he said that there is no love in this material world even though many people glorify it. There are so many people who glorify t

Why languish in the ocean of material existence being helplessly tossed by the waves of sattva guna, raja guna, and tama guna--the modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance? By seriously taking to the path of self-realization under the expert guidance of the bona fide spiritual master you can achieve spiritual enlightenment. Factually this human life is meant for no other purpose than attaining enlightenment, the supreme enlightenment. This supreme enlightenment is to fully understand and implement the teachings of Bhagavad-gita, and then to share this sublime knowledge as much as possible with the people of this world. This is the highest perfection of human existence. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Confusion About Not Eating Animals I am confused about not eating animals because they are children of God, too. What about the animals the animals eat? Are animals less loved because many of them are carnivores? If I eat a plum am I

There is a common saying, "Ignorance is bliss." And in many cases people see ignorance as a pleasant alternative to knowing the harsh reality. But is this really an intelligent way to approach life? Is it better to hear the doctor's unpleasant report that you have cancer so that you can immediately adopt stringent remedial measures? Or is it better that he lies to you and tells your that you are okay, so you can have a pleasant day? It is obvious that it would be useless to have a doctor who always tells you that your health is okay. We need a doctor who always tells us the truth. The bona fide spiritual master is like that. He does not gloss over the harsh reality of material existence. He tells it just as it is. But at the same time he does not leave us hanging in limbo. He mercifully gives us the cure, how we can regain our original spiritual forms, which are eternal, full of knowledge, and full of bliss. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Ved

Sometimes along the pathway of spiritual perfection the neophyte devotee becomes attracted by side paths that appear very appealing but which divert him from reaching the ultimate goal of pure devotion. Especially if the neophyte is weak in regards to following the standard disciplines of bhakti yoga, he will often find the side paths to be very appealing. But all that glitters is not gold. Any path that takes us somewhere besides complete surrender to Krishna is a diversion. Therefore we are advised to always carefully stick to the pathway of the previous acharyas. mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ "Stick to the trail tread by the previous acharyas." Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Status of a Mother I do not know what is said about the status of a Mother in the Srimad Bhagavatam, or Bhagavad-gita or the Vedas. But I think I've heard somewhere it is said that the status of a Mother is even greater than that of God, and th

The materialists often laugh at the renunciation of Krishna conscious people. Especially when they hear that Krishna devotees give up illicit sex life, meat eating, intoxication, and gambling, they find all kinds of ways to poke fun at them. But it is said, "He who laughs last, laughs best." So just consider that at the time of death the materialistically minded people will be forced by their own desires to enter into another term of imprisonment within the cycle of birth and death, while those who are purely absorbed in God consciousness or Krishna consciousness will find themselves delivered into the transcendental world of eternity, knowledge, and bliss. Who gets the last laugh? Of course the devotees are very compassionate. They do not like to laugh at the suffering of others. But if they wanted to, they could have a big chuckle how they become victorious over the laws of nature while their critic are defeated by those same laws. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers Ac

Now after transmigrating through millions and millions of species you have finally attained the most auspicious human form. Why is it auspicious? Because it offers you a special opportunity that no other life form offers you. It offers you the chance to become self-realized. After countless eons of suffering in the cycle of birth and death, this is your most opportune moment. Capitalize on it now to break free from all material suffering forever. Revive your original and eternal transcendental identity by fully dedicating yourself to becoming self-realized under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master. It is said that opportunity only knocks once. So do not miss this opportunity. Take advantage of the Vedic wisdom right now and make your life perfect. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Why Did Krishna Create Maya? Thanks for your super and wonderful explanations. Happiness and blissfulness only can be obtained by spiritual li

Why settle for an asinine, mediocre existence when you can become one of the great pivotal persons in the history of this planet? We are standing now at one of the greatest crossroads of all times. Mankind can continue degenerating more and more. Or there can be a dynamic revival of the original pure qualities of man. If you don't understand what I am talking about, please consider this. The finer sentiments of human consciousness have been gradually devolving more and more over the last 5,000 years to the point where we see people torturing small children by dousing them with gasoline and then setting them on fire. We now regularly hear reports of ever-increasingly grotesque human cruelty. It is a cancer that is spreading more and more throughout the human society. So what we need now more than ever is a revolution of consciousness. If you are sick and tired of the substandard mentality which is becoming more and more the norm throughout the world, the time has come for you

You have achieved this rare human birth only after undergoing the greatest difficulties transmigrating through 8,400,000 different species. Of all the various life forms, the human life is a very rare and special opportunity to escape the cycle of birth by awakening your original divine consciousness. So do not miss this opportunity. Take advantage of the revealed scriptures (such as the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam), the association of the Lord's devotees, and the merciful blessings and instructions of the bona fide spiritual master. Utilize these gifts of God to reconnect yourself with your original eternal identity as a servant of Krishna or God. Your life will be unlimitedly sublime now and forevermore. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Krishna's Form According to Our Form? I humbly ask this question: On planet Earth we have the image of Lord Krishna similar to our own human form. On other planets, will the othe

It is sometimes said that ignorance is bliss, but this is only true for those who are ignorant. For those who have a little developed intelligent, ignorance is unsatisfactory and miserable. Such persons seek that higher knowledge which can deliver them into the realm of actual happiness, not the so-called happiness of less intelligent fools. If such seekers will turn to the Bhagavad-gita, they will get sufficient knowledge regarding how to attain the supreme pleasure of spiritual perfection, Krishna consciousness: na hi jnanena sadrsam pavitram iha vidyate tat svayam yoga-samsiddhah kalenatmani vindati "In this world, there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental knowledge. Such knowledge is the mature fruit of all mysticism. And one who has become accomplished in the practice of devotional service (Krishna consciousness) enjoys this knowledge within himself in due course of time." --Bhagavad-gita 4.38 Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Versi

For the world society to become peaceful we must find the common denominator that applies to everyone in all circumstances in all cultures. Only if we base our relationships with each other on this common principle will peace on earth be practical or doable. So what is that common principle? We are all coming from the same place. We are all emanations from the original source, the fountainhead of all energies. We are all meant to live in a state of harmony perfectly synchronized with our origin. The science of how to do that is revealed by the Supreme Source Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna. By carefully studying and applying the science of the Bhagavad-gita under the expert guidance of those who are accomplished in understanding and properly implementing it we will enter into a divine, enlightened state of consciousness and become empowered agents for helping to bring in a new era of peace to this planet. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version:

In the Srimad Bhagavatam the great emperor, Rishabadeva, who is also an incarnation of God clearly spells out the qualification for being a leader. He describes that unless someone can deliver us from the cycle of repeated birth and death they should not become our leader. Sadly, in the modern day society it will be very difficult to find even one person who is qualified to be our leader. The entire world civilization is suffering from the misguidance of persons who have not even the slightest qualification to deliver us from the cycle of repeated birth and death. It is no wonder then why things have run so far amuck. Therefore there is no greater need in the human society than training an entire new class of enlightened men and women for occupying all of the leadership posts throughout all the strata of society. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Name or Feelings are More Important? Hari Aum, You stated in "Thought for the Day&quo

We are currently seeking serious men and women worldwide who are dissatisfied with the status quo of their own consciousness and the global consciousness, who would like to fully dedicate themselves to personal and global enlightenment. There is no greater need in the human society than the wide scale introduction of an enlightened paradigm based on a spiritual understanding of the self in a harmonious relationship with the Supreme Self. This enlightened science is presented in full detail in the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam. We are now prepared to train anyone who is serious about attaining and sharing this supreme enlightenment with a world that now needs it more than ever. Can we count you in? Let us know. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: How Can You Be So Optimistic? I do not understand the optimism of devotees who say the world can be perfected through the chanting of Hare Krishna. No doubt, as the Christians say, "

The reason our current slate of world leaders are not capable of leading the world out of chaos is that they are imperfect men and women who are still entrapped on the platform of indriya-seva, service to their senses. The senses are like a blazing fire. No matter how much fuel we feed to them, they still demand more and more fuel. In other words sensual desires are insatiable. A person who is on this platform cannot avoid serving his senses. He has an uncontrollable desire to scratch the itch of his material desires. He is not qualified to even lead himself, what to speak of leading anyone else. The only person who is qualified to lead us is that person who has conquered over his sensual desires. This is explained as follows by Srila Rupa Goswami: vaco vegam manasah krodha-vegam jihva-vegam udaropastha-vegam etan vegan yo visaheta dhirah sarvam apimam prthivim sa sisyat "A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind's demands, the actions of anger and the

Human beings thrive on community. This is why people come together to form communities and civilizations. If such communities are founded on an imperfect principle, they must necessarily eventually fail. But if a community or civilization is founded on a perfect principle and the members of that community or civilization are trained how to always live in harmony with that principle, such a civilization or community will endure perpetually. The perfect principle is the God-centered civilization as described in the Sri Isopanisad: isavasyam idam sarvam yat kinca jagatyam jagat tena tyaktena bhunjitha ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam "Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong." Sri Isopanisad Mantra 1 It is on this basis that our communities and our wor

When our senses are imperfect, and we are thus prone to illusion, and we make many mistakes, and in a cheating mentality stubbornly claim to be perfect, how can we know anything for certain? We can't. Are we destined then to remain in the illusory realm of relativity in which everyone takes their own subjective opinion as the so-called truth? There is a way out of this quagmire. We can understand that Absolute Truth does exist because it is logically impossible to assert the non-existence of Absolute Truth. So how one who is captured by illusion can realize the Absolute Truth? He cannot do so on his own power. But by the power of the Absolute Truth it is possible to realize the Absolute Truth. In the Bhagavad-gita it is clearly revealed that Krishna is the Absolute Truth: arjuna uvaca param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan purusam sasvatam divyam adi-devam ajam vibhum ahus tvam rsayah sarve devarsir naradas tatha asito devalo vyasah svayam caiva bravisi me "Arj

Throughout my world travels I am often asked what is the marking on my forehead. I explain to the inquirers, "This is the marking worn by the persons who have conquered over death. If you like, I can teach you how to conquer over death also." This marking, known as "tilaka", is made of sacred clay and immediately applied to the forehead after taking bath. It is the sublime immortality marking of the eternal spirit-soul. It helps the wearer to remember Krishna, and it also knowingly or unknowingly stimulates the dormant Krishna consciousness in the hearts of those who are fortunate enough to notice the tilaka worn by the Krishna conscious devotees. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Editor's note: Tilaka is pronounced as "tee-lock." Srila Prabhupada with Tilaka Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Faceless God You mentioned in yesterday's Thought for the Day: "At my lecture last Saturday night in Reno a member of the audience stated th

At my lecture last Saturday night in Reno a member of the audience stated that God has no face. When I asked her how she can say that when Krishna clearly reveals Himself as a person with a face, she said that Krishna is just a vessel for the faceless God. Her philosophy does not make any sense. How can God be devoid of anything when He is the source of everything? All that exists is within Him. Because He is absolute He does not become in any way depleted when He manifests the totality of existence from Himself. He remains the same without even being slightly diminished. This is the meaning of God. If even an ordinary person of this world has a face, why the Supreme who is the the source of all existence including all faces cannot have a face? Just as a gold mine cannot produce gold if it is devoid of gold, God, the origin of all energies, cannot produce faces if He is faceless. Such a philosophy is not confirmed in the revealed scriptures. There are numerous descriptions in the Vedi

It's Sunday afternoon at 12:33 pm. We just completed two days of preaching Krishna consciousness in Reno and Carson City, Nevada. We're cruising at 37,000 feet from Reno, Nevada on our way to Austin, Texas. The flight is for over three hours. This gives me a good chance to get some reflecting and writing done. Since I am not allowed to use my laptop computer during take off and landing I carry a pocket edition of Srila Prabhupada's Bhagavad-gita As It Is for study at those times. Today during take off I meditated on Chapter 5, Text 21. It is an extremely profound verse: bahya-sparsesv asaktatma vindaty atmani yat sukham sa brahma-yoga-yuktatma sukham aksayam asnute "Such a liberated person is not attracted to material sense pleasure but is always in trance, enjoying the pleasure within. In this way the self-realized person enjoys unlimited happiness, for he concentrates on the Supreme." ---Bhagavad-gita 5.21 The self-realized soul is relishing so much pleasure wi

Selfishness is only the perverted reflection of the pure selflessness which is natural for every living entity. It is foolish to try to be happy selfishly by making ourselves the center of existence, because the fact is that we are not the center of existence. There is an original source from which everything is emanating. That source is the center of all existence. Because so many persons are emanating from that source, that source must be personal. Just as by watering the root of a tree all of its leaves and branches are nourished, by rendering loving service to that person from whom everything is emanating we give the highest service to all living beings. This is pure selflessness. And because we are part and parcel of that originating person our personal needs are automatically taken care of when we serve Him. By following the regulative principles of devotional life even the most selfish person can gradually be transformed into a purely selfless lover of God. So, from any

Yesterday morning when we were departing Austin for Reno, Nevada an airline employee who knows us well from seeing us regularly transiting through the Austin airport asked us where we were going this time. When I told her that we were going to Reno, she said that we would enjoy it. Of course, we are very much enjoying our trip to Reno, but not in the way that people normally think about enjoying Reno through gambling and mundane entertainment. I explained to her that our enjoyment is through Krishna bhakti, devotion to Lord Krishna. This enjoyment does not depend on anything material. One does not require spending money and a gambling casino in order to enjoy Krishna bhakti. One does not have to travel anywhere to taste it. Krishna bhakti is already there within the hearts of all living beings. One simply has to tap into the unlimited reservoir of Krishna bhakti within the heart by diving deeply into chanting the holy names of God: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, H

Why live an ordinary drab material existence which culminates in old age, disease, and death when you can instead live a life of unlimited adventure at the vanguard, the leading edge, of existence relishing unlimited transcendental bliss at every minute? It does not matter where you are or who you are. You can constantly taste the sweetest happiness if you will take shelter of the transcendental platform beyond birth, death, old age, and disease according to the sublime instructions of the Bhagavad-gita, in which it is stated: bahya-sparsesv asaktatma vindaty atmani yat sukham sa brahma-yoga-yuktatma sukham aksayam asnute "Such a liberated person is not attracted to material sense pleasure but is always in trance, enjoying the pleasure within. In this way the self-realized person enjoys unlimited happiness, for he concentrates on the Supreme." --Bhagavad-gita 5.21 Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Krishna Consciousness and Christian

There is no limit to what Krishna can do or Krishna cannot do because He is the Supreme Controller. There is no one above Him or on an equal level with Him. Therefore we should never put limits on what can or cannot happen by His arrangement. It may appear that the material energy is all-powerful, but it is simply one of Krishna's insignificant energies. With full faith in the unlimited mercy of the Supreme Lord we should simply carry on with our life's activities fully dedicated to His service. This will bring us the most sublime peace and happiness. We have nothing to fear in this world. The only thing we are afraid of is forgetting Krishna. Therefore we always absorb ourselves in hearing about Him, chanting His glories, and remembering Him as much as possible 24 hours daily, and thereby always taste the sweetest nectar. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: First Steps on the Path?... Hello. I'm somewhat new in my exposu

One time I explained to a friend how I everyday write a new "Thought for the Day" on the transcendental science of Krishna consciousness. He did not think it could be possible to every day write something new about Krishna consciousness. But actually it is not amazing at all. Why? Because Krishna is nava-yauvanam, an ever-fresh youth. He never grows old. And since He is absolute, those words which describe Him are of the same absolute nature. Therefore as soon as we begin discussing Him and the science of knowing and serving Him, we enter into a dimension in which unlimited oceans of transcendental poetic descriptions can be composed to try to at least scratch the surface of the unlimited reservoir of transcendental nectar contained in the topics relating to Him. This truly is a nectar well that never runs dry. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Why Is There Suffering Even After Chanting?... I read with interest the answer gi

This material existence always has its ups and downs. That is its nature, for this is the world of dualities. Sometimes we are elated. Sometimes we are depressed. We cannot find a steady position here. Even though we are presently stuck here in the material existence, we don't have to a remain a slave of these dualities. We have a clear choice. We can either remain in our present position under the influence of the dualities or we can opt to transcend them through the transcendental self-realization science. Unfortunately the modern day educational system does give even the slightest amount of information regarding the dualities and how to transcend them. Therefore people throughout the world are bewildered and confused. Even though that knowledge which can deliver them is being made readily available by the self-realized souls of the Krishna consciousness movement, the masses are so much blinded by the propaganda of eat, drink, and be merry that they completely turn them

Today we are heading back to our home base in Austin, Texas, USA. But that is not why I have titled today's "Thought for the Day" as "Back to Home..." The real meaning of "Back to Home" is back to our original pure state of enlightened consciousness in a loving relationship with the supreme and original person, the source of all existence. Our "home" in Austin, Texas is just another way station along the path to our original eternal home in the Spiritual Sky. Our real home is also that place, wherever it may be, where people are eager to hear, chant, and remember the transcendental name, fame, forms, pastimes, entourage, and paraphernalia of that inconceivably wonderful Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna. Why is that? Because wherever Krishna's glories are sung is non-different from that wondrous Spiritual Sky. If you would like us to visit you, to take you back to home in your home, and you can arrange a program of hearing