Saintly Association

There is nothing more important for the aspiring transcendentalist than to get the association of advanced devotees. Mere intellectualization of the science of bhakti is not sufficient to bring one to the perfectional stage of spiritual realization. To go beyond the theoretical stage to the stage of practical realization of the Absolute Truth Personality of Godhead requires the contact of realized devotees. This principle cannot be neglected because there is no substitute for this. There is such great potency in this advanced association that even a slight contact with a realized soul can bestow spiritual perfection upon that soul who is so fortunate as to be blessed by that association. This point is confirmed as follows in the Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta:

'sādhu-sańga', 'sādhu-sańga' -- sarva-śāstre kaya
lava-mātra sādhu-sańge sarva-siddhi haya

"The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment's association with a pure devotee, one can attain all success."--Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 22.54

So if you are looking for the unlimited bliss of becoming a fully enlightened spiritual being you need to seek out and take shelter of the association of great saintly teachers of the science of bhakti. They can easily liberate you from all of your anxieties. We simply must approach them with all humility, hear from them, and serve them.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Why No Intoxication?

I was speaking with one person over the weekend who claimed to be a Rastafarian. He asked me a question that I could not answer:

Where in our scriptures does it say intoxication is forbidden? What is the reasoning behind it?

The best answer I had was, "If you spend your time getting intoxicated, then you are not spending your time meditating on God." His reply was, "Why not use your intoxication to change your consciousness and meditate on God in this way?"

For the most part were were discussing marijuana, which he uses in his spiritual practice. It was a pleasant conversation, nothing arose from it, but I could not call up scripture that says "no intoxication." I just know it as one of the most dear regulated principles for achieving the Supreme.

In your loving service, surrendered completely at your lotus feet,

Scott.

Answer: Stay High Forever

The simple counter argument is that as long as you rely on a chemical to alter your consciousness you are still on the material plane. By buying into the idea of altering the consciousness by injecting a chemical, one is buying into a bodily conception of the self. Such a bodily conception of the self binds one to a state of illusion. The method for attaining and maintaining a genuine state of divine intoxication is to totally reject any sort of physical or material conception of the self by reviving one's original pure state of divine intoxication. This method is known as Krishna consciousness.

According to the Svetasvatara Upanisad one is to have full faith in the words of the spiritual master. Hundreds and hundreds of times Srila Prabhupada told us to strictly avoid any form of intoxication. These words coming from the mouth of the greatest spiritual master in the history of the universe are in themselves scripture.

Besides that there are many scriptural statements indicating that intoxication should be given up. For example:

"Theft, violence, speaking lies, duplicity, lust, anger, perplexity, pride, quarreling, enmity, faithlessness, envy and the dangers caused by women, gambling and intoxication are the fifteen undesirable qualities that contaminate men because of greed for wealth. Although these qualities are undesirable, men falsely ascribe value to them. One desiring to achieve the real benefit of life should therefore remain aloof from undesirable material wealth."
--Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.23.18-19

So you may inform such persons that if they think being intoxicated is a desirable state of consciousness, they should give the supreme intoxicant known as Krishna consciousness a serious try. Stay high forever. No more coming down.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari