Stranded by Eyjafjallajokull Volcano

Although we have airline tickets to fly from Helsinki, Finland to Austin, Texas USA this coming Thursday 22 April, 2010, it is looking like we may be stranded here for sometime in Europe in the biggest closure of European airspace since World War II. The apparent cause? The volcanic ash cloud spewing out from Iceland's erupting Eyjafjallajokull volcano. The ultimate cause? A transcendental plan of Lord Sri Krishna without whose sanction a volcano cannot erupt.

The beauty of Krishna consciousness philosophy is that it teaches us how to be equipoised in all circumstances, even in the most disturbing situations. An example of this is the great devotee Jada Bharata, who had been kidnapped by some dacoits who wanted to offer him as a human sacrifice to Goddess Kali. Even as they were about to decapitate him he still remained completely undisturbed taking complete shelter of the Lord for his protection. At the last minute before the sword separated his head from his body an angry Goddess Kali burst out of her deity form and killed all of the dacoits to save the life of Krishna's dear devotee, Jada Bharata.

So we simply have to always remember that everything is going on under the plan and direction of the Supreme Lord for a purpose that only He can fully understand, and that in all circumstances we must always remain fully surrendered unto Him. In this mood we will always swim in an ocean of transcendental bliss feeling the Lord's benevolent mercy and thus never be disturbed by what William Shakespeare describes as the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Erupting Eyjafjallajokull Volcano
18 April 2010--Eyjafjallajokull, Iceland

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Is Religious Conversion a Necessity?

Dear Gurudeva,

When every religion has good scriptures why do we need to convert them to our religion?

Just because Christianity has converted some portion of Vaisnavas in India, do you think converting people to Krishna consciousness is really necessary? Many people all over the world hate these conversions.

Why don't we have laws to restrict conversions? Either proper understanding about these religious conversions should be there, or a law should be enforced to stop conversion. In this way at least the unnecessary hatred for conversions will not arise.

These religious conversions are not a necessity when all the religions have good scriptures. This applies to Christianity and ISKCON because both are converting people worldwide. Of course, proportionately Christianity is converting more in numbers than ISKCON can ever dream.

Your servant,

Prem Krishna

Answer: There is No Such Thing As Religious Conversion

There is no such thing as religious conversion. Conversion from one religion to another is not possible because there is no such thing as different religions. The idea of different religions is a manmade concoction because God has given us only one religion, to become His pure devotees. This same one religion has been taught by all the great spiritual masters throughout history. But the foolish followers of these great teachers have repeatedly taken the pure teachings of these great masters and politicized them by creating various sects of religion, which fight with one another. This is not at all authorized. The only real conversion that can take place is to convert from irreligion to religion. If one thinks that he has converted from one religion to another, he is living in an illusion. Such a person has not yet attained the platform of religion. He requires to be converted from the platform of irreligion to the platform of genuine religion. This is the only conversion that makes any sense.

For example, previously before I met my spiritual master I was a Christian in name only who aspired to become a true Christian. Jesus Christ was a spiritual hero for me. I desired to become a perfect Christ-like person, but I did not know how to do this. So I prayed to God to help me, and He mercifully brought me into contact with my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who then taught me how to become a perfect Christian by being fully absorbed in love of God 24 hours daily. So I was not converted from one religion to another. Rather I was converted from being a pseudo Christian into being a genuine Christian.

So the Krishna consciousness movement is not a religious movement in the common sectarian sense of the word "religion." We are instead a scientific movement teaching everyone the technique of how to purify their consciousness so that they can meet God face to face, eye to eye. It has nothing to do with this sect or that sect. It is the universal science of spiritual perfection that can be used by anyone whether they are a Hindu, a Christian, a Muslim, or a Jew, etc. to become perfect in their religious practice.

This true understanding of religion is grossly lacking in today's society with the result being that the world is disintegrating more and more every day into a hopelessly chaotic quagmire. The Krishna consciousness movement therefore wants to save the world society from its imminent collapse by educating everyone in the science of genuine religion, to become a pure lover of God.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari