Beyond the Dualities of Material Existence

21 November 2007. Now after a grueling day of travel we are here in the desert in Qatar. What a contrast! It was snowing like anything in Sofia and now the very next day we are in the desert. This is typical of the dualistic nature of this material world. Sometimes it is hot. Sometimes it is cold. Sometimes we are happy. Sometimes we are sad. Sometimes we are honored. Sometimes we are dishonored. Sometimes we are rich. Sometimes we are poor. The Bible also confirms this, "To everything there is a season." What to do? We have to learn how to be tolerant. This is confirmed as follows in the Bhagavad-gita:

mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya
śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ
āgamāpāyino 'nityās
tāḿs titikṣasva bhārata

"O son of Kuntī, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed."
--Bhagavad-gita 2.14

By applying the above principle our minds will become very steady and we will able to peacefully absorb ourselves in Krishna consciousness.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Bulgaria Snow

Bulgaria Snow

Qatari Desert

Qatari Desert

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Always Be Krishna Conscious?

From your merciful lectures, I have learned that there are two bona fide ways to control our mind and keep it focused in Krishna consciousness. One method is to lovingly persuade the mind to focus on Krishna and the other way is to chastise the mind when it goes away from Krishna.

Guru Maharaja, I am sincerely trying hard to control my mind. Sometimes I can control it for up to two or three days keeping it engaged in thoughts of Krishna. But then again out of impulse it start engaging in lusty and greedy thoughts. This up and down process continues cyclically. I try to use my free time for studying Srila Prabhupada's books and chanting the Hare Krishna mahamantra. But if there is any gaps, these kind of thoughts come to my mind causing me severe distress.

Kindly enlighten me how I can always keep my mind focused on the lotus feet of Krishna and His devotees?

Your aspiring eternal servant

Answer: Leave No Gaps for Maya

The key is that you should not leave any gaps for Maya. One time His Holiness Vishnujana Maharaja was with Srila Prabhupada in Srila Prabhupada's quarters in Los Angeles. Srila Prabhupada explained to Vishnujana Maharaja how he always remained in Krishna consciousness. He pointed to his harmonium and said how if there was any free time he would play his harmonium and sing some Krishna conscious songs and in this way leave no gaps for Maya. So you should very intelligently arrange your every moment so that there are no gaps for Maya.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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