Don't Let the Sunrise Catch You Sleeping
There is no doubt that it is quite a struggle to remain fully absorbed in Krishna consciousness 24 hours a day in a world that is completely materialistic. So how to accomplish this? The key is to rise early in the morning before sunrise and deeply absorb your consciousness in the ultimate transcendental meditation of the holy names of God. In this way if you will fully charge your spiritual batteries each day early in the morning, you will have no difficulty always remembering Krishna in all circumstances and you will thus be qualified for the attaining the ultimate abode, Krishnaloka, at the time of death. Therefore do not let the sunrise catch you sleeping. Rise early every day before dawn and cash in on the unlimited mercy of the Supreme Lord fully manifested in the form of His most sublime holy names.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Blessings to you on your mission. This is probably a question asked many times, but I would like your illumination on the subject. When it is said that Krishna is the 'Supreme Personality of the Godhead', is it to be understood that He is the expression of God of which we can be most intimately be aware, in comparison to the formless Absolute as Nirguna Brahman? I understand that as He revealed Himself in all of His splendor to Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gita, that it was too intense for the man to take. Thus, is Krishna as Himself the personality most comprehensible by our mortal minds until, at least, liberation?
I have one other, more personal, question that is however relevant: how can I relate Him in my own sectarian practice of shaktism? To me, God has been revealed to me as Durga, who is form and formless. There is no doubt to me that the mahamantra of Krishna brings me bliss, even in listening to it play repeatedly through the day as often I do. I know that God is God and God is One, within and without, in advaita proper. But how would I implement worship of the Lord when single-point devotion is so important?
I understand that you make valuable use of your time and I hope you can make time to enlighten me in there questions. Thank you for your time and, especially, the work that you do for the world. If only more held so much conviction.
Phillip
When Krishna is described as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this does not mean that He is the expression of something else. It means that He is the original source of all existence. For example, He is described in the Bhagavad-gita of being the source of the formless Absolute, the Nirguna Brahman as well as being the source of all spiritual and material worlds. It's not that Krishna is a subset of something which is too heavy for us to handle. Rather it was Krishna's partial manifestation as the universal form which Arjuna found was too hard to handle and His original two-armed flute-playing form that Arjuna found was easy to handle.
You are worshiping Durga, who is shakti, as the Supreme. Shakti is a Sanskrit word which means "energy." Kindly note in this connection that just as electrical energy requires a powerhouse, energy requires an energetic source. This is known in Sanskirt as "shaktiman." The Absolute Truth is not shakti, or energy, but shaktiman, the emanator of innumerable energies. Shakti is a manifestation of the Absolute Truth, but it is not the original Absolute Truth.
You are experiencing so much bliss from the Hare Krishna mahamantra because it directly connects you with shaktiman, Lord Sri Krishna, the source of all energy. The more we become connected with the shaktiman, the more we become energized and surcharged with transcendental energy. In other words, the more we become Krishna conscious, the more we become filled with transcendental bliss.
The conclusion is that when you finally bring your consciousness to the final conclusion, the ending point, the ultimate understanding of reality--you will come to Krishna. This is confirmed as follows in the Bhagavad-gita:
bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ
"After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare."
Bhagavad-gita 7.19
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: The Supreme Personality and Durga
Namaste,Blessings to you on your mission. This is probably a question asked many times, but I would like your illumination on the subject. When it is said that Krishna is the 'Supreme Personality of the Godhead', is it to be understood that He is the expression of God of which we can be most intimately be aware, in comparison to the formless Absolute as Nirguna Brahman? I understand that as He revealed Himself in all of His splendor to Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gita, that it was too intense for the man to take. Thus, is Krishna as Himself the personality most comprehensible by our mortal minds until, at least, liberation?
I have one other, more personal, question that is however relevant: how can I relate Him in my own sectarian practice of shaktism? To me, God has been revealed to me as Durga, who is form and formless. There is no doubt to me that the mahamantra of Krishna brings me bliss, even in listening to it play repeatedly through the day as often I do. I know that God is God and God is One, within and without, in advaita proper. But how would I implement worship of the Lord when single-point devotion is so important?
I understand that you make valuable use of your time and I hope you can make time to enlighten me in there questions. Thank you for your time and, especially, the work that you do for the world. If only more held so much conviction.
Phillip
Answer: Krishna, the Source of Durga
I appreciate very much the nice way in which you have inquired from me. I can see that you are a very sincere, genuine person.When Krishna is described as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this does not mean that He is the expression of something else. It means that He is the original source of all existence. For example, He is described in the Bhagavad-gita of being the source of the formless Absolute, the Nirguna Brahman as well as being the source of all spiritual and material worlds. It's not that Krishna is a subset of something which is too heavy for us to handle. Rather it was Krishna's partial manifestation as the universal form which Arjuna found was too hard to handle and His original two-armed flute-playing form that Arjuna found was easy to handle.
You are worshiping Durga, who is shakti, as the Supreme. Shakti is a Sanskrit word which means "energy." Kindly note in this connection that just as electrical energy requires a powerhouse, energy requires an energetic source. This is known in Sanskirt as "shaktiman." The Absolute Truth is not shakti, or energy, but shaktiman, the emanator of innumerable energies. Shakti is a manifestation of the Absolute Truth, but it is not the original Absolute Truth.
You are experiencing so much bliss from the Hare Krishna mahamantra because it directly connects you with shaktiman, Lord Sri Krishna, the source of all energy. The more we become connected with the shaktiman, the more we become energized and surcharged with transcendental energy. In other words, the more we become Krishna conscious, the more we become filled with transcendental bliss.
The conclusion is that when you finally bring your consciousness to the final conclusion, the ending point, the ultimate understanding of reality--you will come to Krishna. This is confirmed as follows in the Bhagavad-gita:
bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ
"After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare."
Bhagavad-gita 7.19
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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