Ultimate Self Realization

Here in Riga I met, along with my wife and disciples, Mr. Russell Watterson, the president of the Mormon Church for the entire Baltic region. It was a very nice meeting in which we both mutually appreciated each other's dedication to the principle of serving the will of God. God, after all, is one, even though He has innumerable names. But when he mentioned that every human being is dear to God I had to remind him that not only is every human being dear to God. All living beings are dear to the Supreme Person. How can we be so cruel to kill the cow after she stops giving milk? When we stop taking the milk from our first mother we then take the milk from our second mother, the cow. So we should allow her to live peacefully and happily even after she stops giving milk. We should not subject her to the horrors of the slaughterhouse. If we subject our mother, the cow, to such torture, what kind of karmic reactions can we expect to come upon us? Sankarshan Das Adhikari Meeting with

Whenever I think about where my consciousness is now compared to where it was before I took shelter of my spiritual master I am totally and complete awed by how fortunate I am. There is no amount of my personal endeavor which could have ever brought me even anywhere close to this most auspicious life that I am now able to relish on a daily basis. It is only due to the causeless mercy of my most beloved spiritual master, His Divine Grace Om Vishnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya Astottara Sata Sri Srimad A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja Prabhupada, that I am blessed with this most sublime opportunity to practice the science of Krishna consciousness at every second. In spite of my innumerable disqualifications Srila Prabhupada has so kindly blessed me with this ultimate good fortune. Therefore I eternally offer my respectful obeisances at his lotus feet. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Benefit of Chanting? What is the benefit of chanti

Today we are on the road to Riga to the share with the people of Latvia this inconceivably sweet nectar, Krishna consciousness. As we travel to the Latvian border for several hours through Estonia we will be passing forests and farm houses. I will be reflecting within my heart on the sweet, delicious flavor of Krishna consciousness relished here in the association of the Estonian devotees. There is truly nothing like Krishna consciousness anywhere within the fourteen worlds. The amazing quality of Krishna consciousness is that no matter how sweet it gets, it just keeps getting sweeter and sweeter for all of eternity. As soon as the residents of planet earth begin to understand what is this amazing process known as Krishna consciousness, they will all come forward to join this Krishna consciousness movement. It will be the most amazing paradigm shift in the history of the universe. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Estonia Memories: Diving Deep into the Ocean of Hare Krishna Kirtan Reach

The more that the spiritual family of Krishna's devotees grows bigger and bigger, the more the world atmosphere becomes blessed with auspiciousness. Therefore it is most auspicious every time that a new devotee is initiated into the Krishna consciousness movement. Yesterday in Tallinn I initiated as my disciple Bhaktin Karolin, a young college student from Tartu, Estonia. I have given her the new name, Kishori devi dasi. Kishori is name for Srimati Radharani as a young girl. So Bhaktin Karolin is now Kishori devi dasi, the servant of Srimati Radharani. Initiation is the formal linking between the disciple and the spiritual master. It is through this link that one becomes solidly connected with Krishna. It is something plugging a lamp into a wall socket. The disciple is like the lamp. The spiritual master is like the wall socket. And Krishna is like the powerhouse. If someone wants to be initiated they must be solidly fixed in chanting at least 16 rounds daily of the Har

In Tartu, Estonia Krishna sent a young woman who has been devastated by depression for the past six years to hear my lecture at the University of Tartu. She also attended my lectures each day after that, and I personally met with her as well. Since conquering over depression is the immediate, automatic by-product of Krishna consciousness I tried my level best during my three days in Tartu to inspire her to fully dedicate herself to Krishna. I knew that this would end her misery for good. If she can seriously take to Krishna consciousness, instead of walking around with a cloud hanging over her head she will become like a brilliant sun illuminating the atmosphere wherever she goes. The psychiatrists prescribe anti-depressant medicine, but still their patients are miserable. We prescribe the path of bhakti and have saved thousands and thousands of people from a life of misery by introducing them to the pathway of unlimited bliss. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedi

On Wednesday 23 April 2008, I gave a lecture at the University of Tartu in Tartu, Estonia entitled "Global Warming--How to Save the World from Ecological Disaster." It was not the standard global warming blabber. I explained in full detail how the false identification of the body with the self causes us to overindulge our senses, and how the consequent over-consumption of material resources which arises from this overindulging mood is the root cause of all the world's current ecological, economical, and sociological problems. In other words all this ballyhoo about global warming is more or less a waste of time because so-called global warming experts don't have even the foggiest idea that bodily consciousness is the root cause of global warming. As long as we consider ourselves to be our bodies we will necessarily always base our sense of happiness on how much we can gratify our senses. And the senses are like fire. No matter how much you feed them, they are stil

Right now we are living in a world that is completely dedicated to material sense gratification. As this society becomes more and advanced technologically, it is becoming more and more Godless. This is the result of taking God as as an agent for providing our sense gratification instead of that supreme person unto whom we must fully surrender ourselves. People will think, "Since our goal is sense gratification, and we can get it simply through technological advancement, what is the need for God?" Thus the disease of the material civilization is that they want the kingdom of God without God. But they cannot have it. They do not realize that all of their material necessities are being supplied by God at every minute. By their grossly sinful activities, such as massive cow killing and baby killing, they are quickly burning off the results of their past pious activities. This means that very soon unless there is drastic reversal of the status quo there will be a total coll

Make it your mission to engage the entire world in Krishna consciousness beginning with yourself, and then go about engaging as much of it as you possibly can in the Lord's service. Stay focused on this goal. Make it the entire theme of your existence and you will be amazed how your consciousness and your ability to influence others will evolve over time. You've got nothing to lose except for your anxiety and everything to gain. So why not strive for the ultimate life style right now, engaging everything in the service of Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead? You'll be mighty glad that you did, and the people that you impact along the way will appreciate forever your kindness upon them of saving them from the repetition of birth and death. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Why is Cow's Milk Pure? My colleagues ask me why we consider cows milk as pure or vegetarian when it is produced by an animal. Please

We cannot expect this world to be paradise. It is, after all, the prison for all those who could not live in harmony with the Supreme Person in the transcendental world. In other words, we were originally situated with the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the spiritual world as participants in His transcendental pastimes. But due our manifesting a rebellious attitude of wanting to ourselves be the Supreme instead of serving the Supreme, our desire was facilitated by our being given a new home in this material world, a place in we can consider ourselves to be the Supreme. This is why in this material world conflicts are going on at every minute. Everyone thinks that they are the center of the universe and that everything therefore revolves around them. When one person's circle of enjoyment overlaps with another person's circle there is bound to disturbance, which sometimes manifests as fighting, and sometimes escalates into a war between two countries or two groups of coun

After three weeks of wonderful transcendental adventures of spreading the ultimate science in Germany, Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Romania today we are heading north via Malev Airlines to share this supreme nectar in Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Russia. Even though the whole world is gradually dying due to a lack of Krishna consciousness, we are now so fortunate that His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has given us the switch by which the entire darkened, deluded, dead world can be illuminated, enlightened and revived. All we have to do is spread to every city, town, village, and hamlet on the globe the sublime teachings of Lord Krishna which have been so profoundly, perfectly, and succinctly explained by Srila Prabhupada. The more we spread these teachings, the more we will see how the entire world has been saved from the brink of total anarchy. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Sharing the Supreme Bliss in Timisoara, Romania--19 April 2008 Answers According to t

The devotees in Oradea, Romania rented a large hall and advertised a Krishna consciousness program to the general public. When I arrived to give my lecture on this topmost of all self-realization systems I was delighted to see the hall packed so full of people that some members of the audience had to stand or sit on the floor. After a kirtan that was wonderfully super-charged by the participation an enlivened assembly of Romanian and Hungarian devotees, I spoke for one hour to the interested audience explaining the basic principles of reality. Many sincere, intelligent questions were asked, and I got some challenges as well, which as usual were easily defeated by the powerful light of transcendental knowledge as revealed by Lord Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Public Hall Lecture in Oradea, Romania--18 April 2008 Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: How to Conquer Smoking? I read the Bhagavad-gita every day, and I also regularly recite t

The modern day petroleum-based global social order is destined to collapse. For a society to be stable it must be based on locally grown agriculture. Ours is not. Instead of depending on locally grown produce, our global economy depends on trucking or flying in produce from distant places. The cost of that transportation of food is dependent on the price of oil. As the price of oil becomes astronomical and unaffordable, the price of food will do the same. This will lead to mass riots. And this is exactly what is already happening. Until we revert our global economy back to its original model of locally grown produce we are going to see a world social order that will deteriorate more and more until it completely collapses and mere anarchy is loosed upon the world. Such a simplification of the world society back to locally produced agriculture is completely doable if we are willing to simplify our lives by giving up our present mode of "high living and no thinking" replacin

17 April 2008--I am now here in the Budapest airport on a stopover on our way from Bulgaria to Romania. The material world is going on all around me. Airplanes are landing and taking off. People are coming and going. It's business as usual as the world civilization caught up in false identification with the material body goes about its normal daily activities of sense gratification trying to squeeze enjoyment out of the hard rock of material existence. If they only knew who they actually are beyond their temporary bodies and that they can enjoy an eternal existence of ever-expanding bliss and knowledge, what an astoundingly different and wonderful place this world would be. Somehow or other we have to get this message through to them loud and clear. In this connection I was very pleased when my disciples sang a kirtan in the airport this morning as we were departing from Sofia. So many souls who happened to be the airport were blessed with Lord Caitanya's mercy in the

After many, many wonderful days of sharing Krishna consciousness with the wonderful devotees of Bulgaria and Macedonia, today we are flying north for several days of tasting the sweetest nectar of Krishna consciousness in Romania. Wherever we travel all over the world we find people who are trying to make their lives perfect by seriously adopting the Krishna consciousness lifestyle. There is nothing more wonderful than this because this means that after millions of lifetimes of being entangled in the cycle of birth and death they are finally become liberated and returning to their original position full of knowledge and full of bliss in the eternal pastimes of the Supreme Person in that most amazing of all places, the unlimited spiritual sky. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Transcendental Questions and Answers in Sofia, Bulgaria Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Why Krishna is the Supreme? Dear Guru Maharaja, Why is Lord Sri Krishna, considered to be the greatest of a

Everyone is looking for loving reciprocation with a lover, a friend, or a family member because loving reciprocation is what gives life purpose and meaning. What if you could have ongoing 24 hours a day loving reciprocation with the Supreme Person, the source of all existence? That would truly be the epitome of sweetness. This opportunity is available for you right now. Because the Supreme Person is absolute everything in relationship to Him is also Him. Therefore His wondrous transcendental name, fame, qualities, pastimes, and teachings are all non-different from Him. Therefore if we absorb ourselves in hearing and explaining these, we are directly associating with Him, and the more we do this the deeper and deeper we are cultivating our loving relationship with Him. Trust me. There is nothing sweeter than this! You can taste this bliss every day. Why every day? You can dive into this ocean of nectar at every second. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Diving into the Ocean of Nectar i

Mayadevi, the super powerful material energy, has us tightly in her clutches and is doing everything possible to keep us permanently entrapped. Therefore to successfully become liberated from the cycle of birth and death we must with great strength and determination break free from her grip. The greatest obstacle we experience on the path of spiritual perfection is our tendency for sense gratification, i.e. unnecessarily indulging our senses beyond what is required for keeping body and soul together. Therefore when our senses scream at us for sense gratification we must firmly and resolutely respond with, "No, you cannot have it!" In this way, if we are strong, we will become free from all material distractions and will be able to fully absorb ourselves in transcendental meditation upon the unlimitedly nectarean name, fame, form, pastimes, entourage, and paraphernalia of that inconceivably wondrous Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna. This transcendental abso

The quick and easy way to become fully God realized is take shelter of a paramahamsa, someone who is fully God realized. Because such a person possesses God, if he likes, he can easily give God to us. In the Bhagavad-gita Lord Sri Krishna instructs us that such a bona fide spiritual master should be approached with submissive inquiries and sincere service and that such spiritually enlightened beings can reveal the truth to us because they have seen the truth. If we will intelligently take advantage of this sublime instruction of the Supreme Lord, our lives will become perfect and this entire planet will be transformed into a paradise. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Why Chant 16 Rounds? Can I ask you a question that often troubles me? Which is important chanting only 16 round or investing all our time 24/7 at his service? Why should we count when we chant His holy names? Is there any importance? And also, why should not we use onion an

Today we are heading out for Macedonia by car. My disciple, Sarvabhauma Das, will drive us up into the mountains where we will cross the border by foot at a high elevation border station to be picked up by the Macedonian devotees who will then drive us down from the mountains to Skopje for a couple of days of hearing, chanting, and remembering the inconceivable glories of that amazingly wonderful, unlimitedly sweet transcendental Lord, Sri Krishna. There is no doubt in my mind that Krishna is God. Otherwise how could I go on continuously for thirty-seven years doing nothing else except absorbing myself in Him without getting bored? I have sweet memories of my visit to Macedonia two years ago, and I'm very much looking forward to again being with the Macedonian devotees. The secret of advancing rapidly in Krishna consciousness is to as much as possible cultivate loving relationships with devotees. My around-the-world lecture tours give me a wonderful opportunity to do this.

The great spiritual authority, Krishnadas Kaviraja, has predicted that the entire world will become inundated with pure Krishna bhakti. So there is no doubt that it will happen. It is simply a question of when. So how we can make that day come sooner? The more we dedicate ourselves to this mission by being ideal examples and by engaging in the practical activity of planting the seeds of bhakti wherever we go, the faster it will happen. So you can be a part of this exciting revolutionary movement. Simply seriously adopt the principles of Krishna consciousness in your life and do everything possible to promote it to others. If everyone who is practicing Krishna consciousness can induce even one person to also take it up, we will gradually in due course of time make the entire world Krishna conscious. And if each devotee can make two people Krishna consciousness this movement will spread like wildfire inundating this entire world in a very short time. For example, if one person makes

It has recently been debated here in Bulgaria whether or not religion should be taught in the public schools. Many are in favor of this concept and many are opposed to it also. For example, the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has stated, "Religion should be a compulsory school subject with Orthodox Christianity as its primary focus and Islam as an option." I was given an opportunity yesterday here at public lecture in Sofia to state our position on this controversial issue. I clearly stated in no uncertain terms that this idea about which religion to teach is completely erroneous. There is no such thing as different religions. God has given us one religion to develop our pure love for Him. Everyone should be taught to reconnect with God. No one should be taught a sectarian, limited conception of what is religion. There is only one Supreme Person although He is addressed with different names according to different languages. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers A

As we were flying from Frankfurt to Sofia I could not definitely recall if I had informed anyone of my arrival time in Sofia. So I was wondering whether or not there would be anybody to great us at the airport and what kind of hassles we would face if no one was there. So while going through the red tape of clearing customs and getting our luggage there was a lingering uncertainty in my heart, "What will we do if no one is there on the other side of the door to greet us?" As we proceeded into the reception area the intensity of my uncertainty increased. But then as we rounded the corner and I saw and heard twenty-five bright-faced devotees ecstatically singing and dancing Hare Krishna with tasteful musical accompaniment transforming the airport into the spiritual world, my heart melted in ecstasy. I could not imagine any sweeter greeting than that. This was clearly one of the high points of my entire life. And then as I joined in with the devotees joyously singing and

After an ecstatic week of spreading the ultimate self realization science in Germany we are now heading south to Bulgaria to reveal this sublime knowledge there. The whole world is suffering due to a lack of Krishna consciousness and we are so fortunate that we have been blessed with the opportunity to save the fallen souls of this age by sharing this profound bhakti science with them. I am praying for Krishna's blessings that everyone throughout the entire world may hear and heed His teachings. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Writing "Thought for the Day" in the Frankfurt Airport Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Why Articles Are Worn by Devotees? All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga. I hope you are well and finding lots of success on your world tour, and I hope that the months will go by quickly to have you among us in June. My question in this message is: Could you explain about using certain articles such as kunti (neck beads), devotional clothes an

A Vaisnava, a godly person, is always feeling distress in his heart to see the deplorable condition of the suffering souls of this age. Therefore he fully dedicates his life for the deliverance of all from the clutches of illusion. Even if he has to accept suffering in order to carry out his missionary activities, he will do. A notable example in this connection is Jesus Christ. He preferred to suffer even to the point of being crucified rather than give up his missionary activities. In our Krishna consciousness movement we see the wonderful example of Sriman Ananta Santi Prabhu who single-handedly even at the risk of his own life spread Krishna consciousness throughout Russia during the height of the Communist era. Because of his valiant efforts tens of thousands of people across the former Soviet Union are now blessed with the pathway back to home, back to Godhead. Answers According to the Vedic Version Question: Process of Becoming a Devotee Sir, a few days back you told us ab

By grace of Sri Krishna nothing is impossible. Anything can be accomplished by His pure devotees who have dedicated everything for His service. Therefore we might as well strive for the greatest accomplishments. Why should we sell ourselves short by shooting for a lesser goal? Therefore why not shoot the highest possible goals of becoming pure devotees and completely revolutionizing this planet with pure Krishna bhakti? If we make these our goals and we don't fully attain them, what is our loss? Even a partial attainment of these goals will be a meaningful life of phenomenal accomplishment. And if we do attain them, it will be the greatest turn around in the history of the universe giving unlimited pleasure to Srila Prabhupada. So this is a call for volunteers. Would you like to fully dedicate your life for these two goals? Answers According to the Vedic Version Question: Are You in Contact with Srila Prabhupada? Namaskarams Guruji, I am a big fan of Srila Prabhupada. I l

Yesterday in Hari Nam Desh in Hohenstein, Germany I initiated two new disciples: Karuna Sindhu Das, and Jalangi Devi Dasi. Initiation is the ceremony in which one solemnly commits one's entire life to following the process of Krishna consciousness under the guidance of their spiritual master. The ceremony was held in a beautifully decorated temple room which was filled with over one hundred guests. It was festive, joyous occasion which included singing, dancing, and feasting. It gladdened the hearts of all to see these two souls taking their second birth. Our first birth is from our mother and father, and our second birth is from Guru and Krishna. Recently in Houston, Texas I initiated Sukhada Das as my disciple. Below are some photos for your enlivenment from these ecstatic events. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Sukadha Das Initiation, Houston, Texas Karuna Sindhu Das at His Initiation Hohenstein, Germany Jalangi Devi Dasi at Her Initiation Hohenstein, Germany Answers Ac

A self-realized soul although personally tasting great transcendental happiness at every minute is not oblivious to the pains and suffering of the general world population. In fact he is greatly disturbed to see humanity in such an unfortunate situation. Therefore armed with the most powerful weapon of transcendental knowledge he stands boldly in opposition to the vast ocean of injustice and ignorance which has completely engulfed the modern day human society. He is not afraid to fight for the right at every step. In fact he thrives on it. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Instructions from Departed Gurus In the lesson C24, it is stated, "A neophyte on the pathway of spiritual enlightenment cannot be expected to be able to accurately hear messages from a departed spiritual master in response to his questions. Even if he claims to be able to do this, in all likelihood the answers he 'receives' are simply his own fanciful imagin

If the world population knew the science of bhakti, this entire planet would become transformed into a paradise. Peace and happiness would predominate. All forms of material distress would be greatly reduced. The climatic conditions would become pleasing. There would abundant supplies of fresh water and sumptuous foodstuffs. The political leaders would be ideal examples of saintly behavior. The world economy would become stabilized with full employment for all. Family life would become so happy that nobody would ever desire divorce. There would be a renaissance of transcendental expression in the form of art, drama, music, poetry, and architecture, and philosophy. Science would progress to the point of finally fully discovering the secrets of the universe. If they only knew, if they only knew. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: How May I Serve You? Friction is coming from the fact that my husband believes that religion, with all t

In this material world we are forced by the laws of nature to face so many problems one after another after another. How can we escape this ocean of problems? The answer is quite simple really. All we have to do is understand the one basic problem which is the cause of all other problems. What is that problem? Each of us thinks that we are the center of all existence. Even though we do not have the power to manifest even the smallest portion of the total existence from ourselves, we foolishly cling to the crazy notion that we are the center of it. We need to seek out knowledge of that original, supreme person who is in fact the source of all existence and establish a loving relationship with Him. This will immediately bring a stop to all our problems of existence and elevate us to our original consciousness situated far, far beyond all the problems of material existence. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Did Lord Caitanya Reject the Bh

It's really nice to be back with the wonderful ISKCON devotees here in Heidelberg, Germany. We are staying in a small preaching center serenely situated inside Heidelberg town on the side of a forested mountain. The devotees are so warm and friendly. We don't feel like strangers here because the devotees welcome us just like family members who have been away for a long time. Srila Prabhupada has created such a warm, loving international network of sincere devotees all the world. He has named that network as ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. This ISKCON-Net is far more exciting and beneficial than the Internet. Of course, the Internet is also nice. Through it you are getting connected right now with the highest level ISKCON-Net. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Each Person Seek His Own Truth? My trouble is that I am not able to answer the queries of my dearest friend. He believes that we have to pay

Getting back out on the road was pretty intense. A hacker took over our secondary email server rendering it useless, thus wickedly depriving some of our readers from receiving "Thought the Day". Now with this problem still unresolved I am en route from the USA to Germany. At the present moment I am on a transit stop at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. By Krishna's mercy I was able to land a computer work station to access my email and to write "Thought for the Day" before we board our flight to Frankfurt. Thanks to all of you, my beloved readers. By your dedicated reading you are blessing me with the most auspicious opportunity to describe every day the glories of the sublime Krishna consciousness science. Sankarshan Das Adhikari A Brief Hiatus at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Why Don't You Fly By Mystic Power? Why don't devotees like you pray to the Lord to carry you everywhere immediately wit