Bitter Sweet Flavor

After a brief one day stop to initiate a new disciple and give a lecture in Kuala Lumpur, we are now heading on to Australia. In spite of so many impediments being thrown in my pathway by the material energy I am moving forward. There is a special sweetness to Krishna consciousness in the material world. In the spiritual world there is simply pure bliss with no experience of the miseries of birth, death, old age, and disease. But the unlimitedly sweet Krishna consciousness when tasted in this material world is experienced along with the miseries of birth, death, old age, and disease.

Although I abstain from chocolate now, preferring it's caffeine-free substitute carob, when I was small boy and was not yet Krishna conscious I used to take chocolate. There were two choices of Hershey's chocolate bars available in those days back in the 1950's in the USA. There was sweet chocolate and there was bitter sweet chocolate. I always preferred the bitter sweet chocolate because its flavor was somehow or other much more appealing to my sense of taste.

In a similar way I am now relishing the bitter sweet nectar of Krishna consciousness experienced within the context of the miseries of material existence. I am sure that the flavor of Krishna consciousness in the spiritual world is unlimitedly sublime. But I am equally sure that the bitter sweet flavor of Krishna consciousness experienced in this material world is also unlimitedly sublime.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Proper to Eat a Lot of Prasadam?

Dear Master Sankarshan Das Adhikari

When I go to eat prasadam here in the ISKCON-temple of
Helsinki, why can I and other people eat it as much as we want and not to eat only little like prasadam is supposed to be eaten?

Thank You

Jukka

Answer: Eat Enough to Become Addicted

One who is fully absorbed in pure bhakti activities twenty-four hours a day relishes so much nectar from serving Krishna that his bodily demands naturally become reduced. He becomes so completely addicted to Krishna consciousness that he becomes naturally free from the bodily tendencies such as overeating or oversleeping.

However, most people who live outside the temple do not offer their food to Krishna before eating it. Thus according the Bhagavad-gita they are eating only lumps of sin. When such persons come to the temple we encourage them to eat as much as they can possibly hold so that when they leave the temple they will be so full they will not want to eat anything available outside the temple, which is generally not offered to Krishna. And then we invite them to come back regularly for taking more Krishna prasadam. In this way we are trying to free people from the bad habit of eating unoffered foods by getting them fully dedicated to only eating Krishna prasadam.

So kindly take Krishna prasadam to your full satisfaction whenever you come to the temple. And do come often! In this way you will become completely, totally addicted to Krishna prasadam. And we
hope that you will also begin the process of offering your meals first to Lord Krishna when eating at home (no meat, no fish, no eggs).


Sankarshan Das Adhikari