The Early Chanter Catches the Nectar

Here at Bhaktivedanta Ashram during our brief stopover on our around-the-world lecture tour I have been rising at 2am to have wonderful uninterrupted japa before beginning our morning program of worshipping Sri Sri Radha Damodar and studying the Srimad Bhagavatam. These moments in the early, early morning directly associating with God, Lord Sri Krishna, are undoubtedly the sweetest nectar. Who could be a more wonderful person to meet with? He is the reservoir of all good qualities and of all opulences. He has so kindly manifested in the form of His holy names so that anyone who would like to directly associate with Him can easily do so. Considering that this opportunity to chant the Hare Krishna mahamantra is the greatest good fortune millions of times more auspicious than achieving all the wealth, power, and fame of this material world, who would not agree to chant these unlimitedly sweet nectarean names?

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Role of Willpower?

What is your opinion on the role that willpower plays in spiritual life?

Hare Krishna

Bhakta Brad

Answer: It's Absolutely Essential

It is not only my opinion. It is the opinion of Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source of all existence, that determination or willpower is required. In the recipe of Krishna consciousness willpower or determination is one of the most important ingredients. Without this determination or willpower, one cannot and will not be successful in going back home, back to Godhead.

Lord Sri Krishna states as follows in the Bhagavad-gita:

sa niścayena yoktavyo
yogo 'nirviṇṇa-cetasā
saṅkalpa-prabhavān kāmāṁs
tyaktvā sarvān aśeṣataḥ
manasaivendriya-grāmaṁ
viniyamya samantataḥ

"One should engage oneself in the practice of yoga with determination and faith and not be deviated from the path. One should abandon, without exception, all material desires born of mental speculation and thus control all the senses on all sides by the mind."
---Bhagavad-gita 6.24

Srila Prabhupada gives a nice example of the importance of willpower or determination as follows:

"As for determination, one should follow the example of the sparrow who lost her eggs in the waves of the ocean. A sparrow laid her eggs on the shore of the ocean, but the big ocean carried away the eggs on its waves. The sparrow became very upset and asked the ocean to return her eggs. The ocean did not even consider her appeal. So the sparrow decided to dry up the ocean. She began to pick out the water in her small beak, and everyone laughed at her for her impossible determination. The news of her activity spread, and at last Garuda, the gigantic bird carrier of Lord Vishnu, heard it. He became compassionate toward his small sister bird, and so he came to see the sparrow. Garuda was very pleased by the determination of the small sparrow, and he promised to help. Thus Garuda at once asked the ocean to return her eggs lest he himself take up the work of the sparrow. The ocean was frightened at this, and returned the eggs. Thus the sparrow became happy by the grace of Garuda. Similarly, the practice of yoga, especially bhakti-yoga in Krishna consciousness, may appear to be a very difficult job. But if anyone follows the principles with great determination, the Lord will surely help, for God helps those who help themselves."

So become very strong in your determination that your life has one purpose and one purpose only, to become a pure devotee of Lord Sri Krishna. If you do so, your soon attaining the supreme perfection of going back home, back to Godhead is guaranteed.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari