The Real Ticket to Vrindavan

Today we are heading out to India via a transit stop in Finland. I'll be giving a couple of lectures at our center in Helsinki and then we will continue our eastward journey to the holy land of Vrindavan. It is always special mercy to be able to visit Krishna's holy dhama (abode). Sri Vrindavan Dhama, although apparently situated within this material world, is non-different from the Goloka Vrindavan which exists in the topmost portion of the spiritual sky far, far beyond the coverings of this dark material world. No matter which way one contacts with that divine abode, one becomes purified. Whether touches its dust, breathes its air, or simply remembers it--the all auspicious Sri Vrindavan Dhama bestows all spiritual blessings upon those who take its shelter. The spiritual master is the revealer of the dhama. So before heading out to that most sacred abode I am begging my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, that by his mercy I actually enter into the most merciful Sri Vrindavan Dhama. This is required because we cannot enter the Holy Dhama simply by purchasing an airline ticket. We can only enter the Holy Dhama by the mercy of the bona fide spiritual master. This mercy of Sri Guru is the real ticket to Vrindavan.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Sri Vrindavana Dhama

Sri Vrindavana Dhama

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Is It Good to Chant Hare Krishna Without Beads?

Dear Gurudeva,

If I chant the Hare Krishna mahamantra, just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu did without japa beads, is that good?

Gopal

Answer: Yes, But For Perfection Good is Not Good Enough.

Of course, any chanting is good, with beads or without beads. But if one wants to attain the full benefit of chanting, good is not good enough. You must become perfect in chanting. Therefore chanting with beads is required.

You have somehow misunderstood that Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not chant Hare Krishna on beads. This is not a fact. Lord Caitanya did chant the Hare Krishna mantra on beads. Also, the great acharyas chanted Hare Krishna on beads. And Srila Prabhupada ordered his followers to chant at least 16 rounds daily of the Hare Krishna mahamantra on beads.

So why would you want to chant without beads when God Himself as well the great acharyas chanted on beads? The sastras declare that we are meant to follow in the footsteps of the great saintly teachers. Therefore if you want the achieve the perfection of chanting Hare Krishna, you should also chant on japa beads at least 16 rounds daily. Chanting on the japa beads is especially recommended because it makes the chanting more powerful and more effective. And in this age of Kali we need all the help we can get for becoming successful spiritually.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Little Sparrow Who Conquered the Ocean

Image
In his purport to Bhagavad-gita, Chapter 6, Text 24 Srila Prabhupada wonderfully teaches us the power of determinations by telling us the story of the little sparrow who conquered the ocean: "As for determination, one should follow the example of the sparrow who lost her eggs in the waves of the ocean. A sparrow laid her eggs on the shore of the ocean, but the big ocean carried away the eggs on its waves. The sparrow became very upset and asked the ocean to return her eggs. The ocean did not even consider her appeal. So the sparrow decided to dry up the ocean. She began to pick out the water in her small beak, and everyone laughed at her for her impossible determination. The news of her activity spread, and at last Garuda, the gigantic bird carrier of Lord Visnu, heard it. He became compassionate toward his small sister bird, and so he came to see the sparrow. Garuda was very pleased by the determination of the small sparrow, and he promised to help. Thus Garuda at once asked t
Read more

Heart Melting Reunion with Amarendra and Gayatri

Image
On Friday 26 June 2015 I was blessed with the greatest good fortune of meeting with two of the dearest devotees of my entire life, His Grace Amarendra Prabhu and his good wife, Srimati Gayatri devi dasi. I am eternally indebted to these great souls for how much they helped me in my spiritual life when I was a young devotee. When I was young brahmacari monk in 1973 I joined with the two of them in Gainesville, Florida. We were a three person preaching center, and they were just like a mother and father to me. I had so many wonderful Krishna conscious experiences in their association that I can hardly begin to describe them here. But at least may it suffice for me to say for now that Gayatri taught me what it means to be a soft-hearted devotee of the Lord and she gave me my first cooking lesson, teaching me how to make cauliflower pakoras, and Amarendra taught me the art of how to preach strongly, intelligently, and coolly to defeat opposing arguments. Recently Gayatri almost died. But
Read more

Who is this Krishna?

Image
Krishna is not a myth, nor is He an ordinary historical personality. He is the Supreme All-Attractive Personality of Godhead. He is the oldest of all while simultaneously maintaining the form of a 16 year old youth. He is all-attractive because he exceeds everyone in all of existence by possessing unlimitedly all the qualities that are attractive namely power, beautify, renunciation, knowledge, wealth, and fame. There is no one who equals or excels Him in the possession of these attractive qualities. This is why is accepted by all enlightened spiritualists as being God, the original source of all existence. The perfection of our existence is to re-establish our long forgotten loving relationships with Him. There Is No One More Amazing Than Krishna Video for the Day Don't Be a Hypocrite Answers According to Vedic Wisdom Question: Was Krishna a Real Person? Was Krishna a real person who lived on Earth? Ray Galindo Answer: He Was and He Still Is My Dear Ray, Pleas
Read more