Duty to Enlighten the World

Although I'm sixty years old now, ever since I was a youth I've envisioned that this entire planet can be transformed into a paradise on earth by the introduction of an all-encompassing spiritual revolution. Therefore back in 1968 I abandoned any idea of a career, dropped out of college, and fully dedicated my life for this purpose. For years I struggled on my own trying to ignite such a spiritual revolution through writing and singing hundreds of songs until I realized that unless I first revolutionized my own consciousness my efforts would be completely useless. How could I possibly enlighten the world when I was not enlightened? It was the dream of a fool. I realized that I needed a spiritual master who could teach me how to become spiritually perfect. Then in 1971 in Austin, Texas I was blessed by the divine association of His Holiness Vishnujana Maharaja, who introduced me to his spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, and the foremost exponent in the modern age of Krishna consciousness, the ultimate self-realization science. Srila Prabhupada was not only teaching his disciples how to become spiritually perfect. He was also engaging them in pushing forward a spiritual movement for the re-spiritualization of the human society. Talk about a perfect fit! I knew that I had found my eternal guru. So now here I am 37 years later trying to execute the duty that Srila Prabhupada gave us that we must enlighten the world with Krishna consciousness. I am praying to Sri Krishna that we will successfully be able to carry our our duty so much so that the entire world population will adopt the teachings of Lord Sri Krishna as explained by Srila Prabhupada as the guiding principle for the human civilization for many generations to come.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: What is My Duty?

Please accept my humble obeisances.

I am a Grihastha, a married man, practicing Krishna consciousness as a member of ISKCON. My wife is also a devotee. Presently we both are serving and leading a Grihstha life.

My question is when Lord Krsna says "leave all religion and surrender unto me". Does it mean that we should renounce Grahtha life and live in temple? What is my duty with respect to Lord Krsna's instruction?

Ajit

Answer: Follow Krishna's Instructions as Given in the Bhagavad-gita

Why do you think surrendering to Krishna means to give up married life, Grihastha life? Arjuna was a grihastha. After hearing Bhagavad-gita directly from the Lord Arjuna surrendered himself fully unto the Lord. He did not give up grihastha life. So why would you think that you should? Surrendering to Krishna means that we should strictly follow the instructions given by Lord Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita under the guidance of our spiritual master. There is nowhere in the Bhagavad-gita where Krishna says to give up family life.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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