Beyond the Quagmire Cocktail

This material world is heavily polluted by the three modes of material nature. At every step we are having to deal with a quagmire cocktail composed of varying mixtures of these three modes: goodness, passion, and ignorance. Under their influence we become carried away by passion for material sense enjoyment and thus completely ignore the needs of the real self, the spirit-soul who is within the body. Lord Krishna very expertly describes our predicament in the Bhagavad-gita while at the same time mercifully giving us the way out:

tribhir guṇa-mayair bhāvair
ebhiḥ sarvam idaḿ jagat
mohitaḿ nābhijānāti
mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam

daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī
mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante
māyām etāḿ taranti te

"Deluded by the three modes [goodness, passion and ignorance], the whole world does not know Me, who am above the modes and inexhaustible. This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it."
BG 7.13-14

If we will simply surrender ourselves fully to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, we will quickly and easily be able to become free from the contaminating effects of the three modes of nature. We will become qualified to enter into the sweet, all-blissful, all-effulgent, eternal transcendental atmosphere of the spiritual sky.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Gain Faith?

In regards of my devotional practice I would like to ask:

1. I have detected that I have very weak faith in the process of Krishna Consciousness. How to gain faith? Some say that it is given by Lord only as His mercy? Is this true?

2. How to pray to Lord Krishna properly? I mean via who the prayer is to be done? And does the request about mercy for other people take place in our tradition? How to accomplish it properly?

3. What is the way of realizing the scriptures?

Your servant in Lithuania

Answer: Serve Those Who Have Great Faith

Gain faith by serving those who have strong faith. It is a fact that we develop faith by the mercy of Krishna. By serving those who are advanced in Krishna consciousness we attract the mercy of Krishna so that He will bless us with strong faith.

You may pray to your spiritual master and to Srila Prabhupada. You may also directly pray to Lord Krishna and Lord Caitanya. You should pray that you will become delivered from the clutches of maya by developing pure love for Krishna. You can also pray for the empowerment to be successful in giving Krishna consciousness to others.

If you have unflinching faith in your spiritual master and in Lord Krishna, you will realize all the imports of the Vedic wisdom.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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