Ecstatic Memories of Peru
It was very heart warming to experience the loving feelings of the Peruvian devotees. In so many ways they gave us their love during the few days that we were in Peru. Even though materially very poor, they are spiritually very rich. It amazed me how on such short notice with no formal advertising how simply by mere word of mouth they could pack a hall two nights in a row to hear my seminars on pure devotional service. Such sincere souls who are endeavoring to awaken their dormant love of God are very, very dear to Lord Krishna. They are also very, very dear to me. I look forward to my return visit to Lima, Peru in January of 2010.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Please accept my humble obeisances!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
It is said in the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad:
nava-dvāre pure dehī
haṁso lelāyate bahiḥ
vaśī sarvasya lokasya
sthāvarasya carasya ca
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is living within the body of a living entity, is the controller of all living entities all over the universe. The body consists of nine gates [two eyes, two nostrils, two ears, one mouth, the anus and the genitals]. The living entity in his conditioned stage identifies himself with the body, but when he identifies himself with the Lord within himself, he becomes just as free as the Lord, even while in the body." (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.18)
What actually does it mean "identifies himself with the Supreme"? I am a little confused by this statement. Bhakti philosophy is that we are servants of the Lord. It is Mayavadis who claim that they are God and identify with Him. Could you please explain the difference between devotee's understanding for "identification with Supreme" and mayavadi's understanding for the same.
Maybe we should feel at every moment that we are part and parcel of Krishna, that we are His instruments. This is the right understanding for "identification with Supreme". Am I correct?
Your humble servant,
Hayagriva Das
Although the drop of ocean water possesses the same chemical characteristics as the entire ocean, it is certainly not the entire ocean. It is instead only a tiny fragmental portion of the entire ocean. So we are one with Krishna just as the drop of ocean is one with the ocean. And we are different from the ocean, just as we can float a battleship on the ocean of water, but not on the drop of water.
While the Mayavadis erroneously claim that we are one and the same as the Supreme Person, by careful analysis we can discern this is not true and that we are instead are simultaneously, inconceivably one with and different from the Lord.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Sweet Airport Farewell from Peruvian Devotees
Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Identification with the Supreme
My dearest Srila Gurudeva,Please accept my humble obeisances!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
It is said in the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad:
nava-dvāre pure dehī
haṁso lelāyate bahiḥ
vaśī sarvasya lokasya
sthāvarasya carasya ca
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is living within the body of a living entity, is the controller of all living entities all over the universe. The body consists of nine gates [two eyes, two nostrils, two ears, one mouth, the anus and the genitals]. The living entity in his conditioned stage identifies himself with the body, but when he identifies himself with the Lord within himself, he becomes just as free as the Lord, even while in the body." (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.18)
What actually does it mean "identifies himself with the Supreme"? I am a little confused by this statement. Bhakti philosophy is that we are servants of the Lord. It is Mayavadis who claim that they are God and identify with Him. Could you please explain the difference between devotee's understanding for "identification with Supreme" and mayavadi's understanding for the same.
Maybe we should feel at every moment that we are part and parcel of Krishna, that we are His instruments. This is the right understanding for "identification with Supreme". Am I correct?
Your humble servant,
Hayagriva Das
Answer: Qualitatively One, Quantitatively Different
I am very pleased with you that you have understood correctly. Since we know that we are not Krishna, identifying ourselves with the Lord means identifying ourselves as being qualitatively one with the Lord, not quantitatively one. In other words, Krishna is eternal, full of bliss and knowledge and so are we. In this sense we are one with Krishna. But we cannot claim to occupy the position of Krishna as being the source of everything.Although the drop of ocean water possesses the same chemical characteristics as the entire ocean, it is certainly not the entire ocean. It is instead only a tiny fragmental portion of the entire ocean. So we are one with Krishna just as the drop of ocean is one with the ocean. And we are different from the ocean, just as we can float a battleship on the ocean of water, but not on the drop of water.
While the Mayavadis erroneously claim that we are one and the same as the Supreme Person, by careful analysis we can discern this is not true and that we are instead are simultaneously, inconceivably one with and different from the Lord.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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