Ultimate Self Realization

This human form of life is the rarest opportunity because after transmigrating through 8,000,000 species in the lower forms of life one finally gets the opportunity to be a human being. In this human form one is gifted with the rare ability to inquire into what is the nature of the Absolute Truth. If one sincerely does so, he becomes factually situated on the human platform of spiritual awakening and through proper association and guidance gradually realizes his eternal identity in the transcendental kingdom of God. However, if one wastes his human form of life simply imitating the animals in a polished life of material sense gratification, he is fated to go back down to the lower species in his next birth in accordance with whatever type of material sense gratification he has become inclined towards. Therefore one should intelligently not throw away this rarest of all opportunities. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Explaining the Rarest Opportunity Melbourne, Australia--29 December 2010 An

Lord Sri Krishna explains in the Bhagavad-gita: "There is no possibility of one's becoming a yogi, O Arjuna, if one eats too much or eats too little, sleeps too much or does not sleep enough." Therefore to be successful in the self realization process we must practice the art of moderation. Overeating and oversleeping as well as under-eating and under-sleeping are all unfavorable for advancing on the pathway of self realization to awaken our dormant Krishna consciousness. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: How to Go Deeper into the Holy Name? Hare Krishna, Maharaja, Please accept my obeisances All glories to Srila Prabhupada I was listening to one of your lectures, and you said to go deeper into the holy name while chanting. How can one do so? Thank you, Your servant, Nandan Answer: Totally Absorb Your Consciousness in the Name Deeply chanting means chanting with such intense feeling that one's consciousness becomes

Srila Rupa Goswami wonderfully describes as follows: "I remember the Lord standing by the banks of the Yamuna River, so beautiful amid the kadamba trees, where many birds are chirping in the gardens. And these impressions are always giving me transcendental realization of beauty and bliss." There is no type of meditation more powerful than this. This Krishna meditation quickly brings the practitioner of self-realization to the highest goal. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Lord Sri Krishna on the Bank of the Yamuna Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Our Free Will or God's Free Will? Dear Gurudeva, Many thanks for providing enlivening aspects of Bhakti science on daily basis, which are quite refreshing. One doubt cropped up after reading the answer for the question made on "Thought For the Day" of 27 December 2010, wherein it is mentioned that, "Krishna will not override our free will and make us prisoners by forcing us to do what He wants us to

We have just returned from an invigorating self realization retreat in beautiful Govinda Valley, Australia. What we was even more beautiful than the location of the retreat was the subject matter of the retreat: the steps to becoming perfect in Krishna consciousness beginning from sraddha or faith and progressing all the way to prema or pure love of God. Studying about the symptoms and qualities of each step on the path of bhakti gave each participant an excellent perspective on how to map and accelerate his or her gradual process to the highest level of spiritual enlightenment. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Sraddha to Prema Self-Realization Retreat Govinda Valley, Australia--24-26 December 2010 Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Eating Prasadam Attracts One to Krishna? Is it true that by eating Krishna prasadam one gets attracted to Lord Krishna? Regards, Sunil Answer: He's Already Attracted to Krishna Since Krishna prasadam is the mercy manifestation of Kri

When one seriously adopts the path of bhakti, he immediately gets resistance from the material senses. The practitioner of bhakti resolves to only give his senses what is needed for a healthy life and not beyond this. He refuses to overindulge his senses. But in material life the senses are accustomed to being overindulged on a regular basis. Therefore when one begins the path of bhakti the senses adamantly demand that they should receive the gratification they are accustomed to, even though this is not healthy and not favorable for spiritual progress. Therefore the devotee must be careful not to cave in to the demands of the senses. He must accept only as much sense gratification as is necessary for a healthy life so that he can free up as much energy as possible for his practice of Krishna consciousness. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Why God Doesn't Force Us to Be Good? I firmly believe that God is everywhere and that without Him we

The awakening of Krishna consciousness is a process of ever-deepening meditation upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead via absorption in His loving service. Of all meditational systems, bhakti or loving service is the most powerful and effective because one becomes spontaneously attracted to his object of meditation just as a young boy is attracted to a young girl. First one has faith in the process. This is the sraddha stage. Then he seeks out the association of devotees to help him take up the process. This is called the sadhu sanga stage. Then he becomes fully initiated into the process by the bona fide spiritual master. This is the bhajana-kriya stage. At this early stage, his meditation on the Supreme Lord is in little flashes and is always intruded upon by material thoughts. But then as he becomes free from the dirt within his heart (anartha nivritti) he reaches the nistha stage in which the meditation is hardly interrupted. In the next stage, known as ruci, the meditation is

The Hare Krishna mahamantra is a transcendental window to the spiritual world. When we master the art of chanting it without any offense we are blessed by the opportunity to see through that window and even pass through that window into the wondrous spiritual existence on the other side. The key is that we have to chant without any offense. The first principle of offenseless chanting is that we must always be respectful to all the devotees of the Lord who have dedicated their lives fully for propagating the holy names of the Lord all over the world. In other words we can only enter into the nectarean ocean of the Lord's name to the extent that we have learned how to love His devotees. So, the more we love the Lord's devotees, the more we are able to enter into the name and into the spiritual world. The Lord's name, the Lord Himself, and His transcendental abode are all non-different. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Two T

Our spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, has given us the most awesome responsibility. We have to bring true, lasting, peace and happiness to every single person on this planet by enlightening them in the transcendental science of Krishna consciousness. Sadly, at the present moment practically the entire human population is completely lost, sleeping in the lap of bodily consciousness. We have been blessed with the duty to awaken them. To be fully equipped to do so we must be fully awakened ourselves. As it is said, "Physician, heal thyself." Therefore even though our most important duty is to save the world, it is even more important that we save ourselves. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: How Can I Get Liberated? How can I get liberated from material existence through my mind? What are the main defects in thinking of ourselves as body? How can I motivate myself in Krishna consciousness consiste

Today, 22 December 2010, I was blessed with the most auspicious opportunity to appear for an interview on Eastwave 92.2 FM radio. I was asked very nice philosophical questions such as why we exist and how we can create a peaceful atmosphere on this planet. Many listeners called in nice intelligent questions in as well. It is important to take advantage of every single opportunity which presents itself for enlightening the world population in the transcendental Krishna consciousness science. All over the world people are suffering due to the disease of material consciousness. We have been blessed with the medicine that can save them. Therefore we must get this medicinal message out to all of them as soon as possible so that they can also become happy. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Interview on Eastwave Radio 22 December 2010--Lenasia, South Africa Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Who is the Creator of the Creator? Who could be the creator of the creator? Deepak W.

If you are looking for happiness that goes on increasing throughout your entire life, a happiness that is not eroded, but enhanced, by your advancement of age, then you have come to right place. Krishna consciousness is just what you are looking for. By seriously applying yourself to this process of Krishna consciousness you will eventually become completely free from all anxieties and will be able to be engaged 24 hours in acting for the ultimate benefit of all living beings throughout all of existence. It doesn't get any better than this. Take up this process with all seriousness and attain the supreme result. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: How to Avoid Bad Thoughts in the Mind? I am regular reader of your emails. Today I need your help and guidance. I want to avoid bad thoughts and images which keep reflecting in my mind during chanting japa or praying. How to avoid this? I have difficulty controlling this. I admit my failure and

Presently I am doing a lecture series on a paradisial island known as Mauritius in the Indian ocean located 560 miles east of Madagascar, which is off the eastern coast of Africa. I usually give lectures in hellish cities. But in Krishna consciousness it does not matter where you are, because wherever you are, you can taste the same transcendental bliss by diving deeply into the transcendental ocean of Krishna bhakti. One can be in the middle of hellish polluted city or on a paradisial island such as Mauritius. It does not matter, because in either place one can go deep sea diving into the transcendental ocean of Krishna bhakti experiencing unlimited bliss in the sweet nectar of remembering that amazing Lord Krishna, who is the source of all existence and the most merciful well-wishing friend of all living beings. Sankarshan Das Adhikari One Can Remember Krishna in Serene, Beautiful Mauritius, or in a Hellish City Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Why Devot

If you want to achieve the supreme perfection of going back to home, back to Godhead at the time of death, you need to perfect your Krishna consciousness. As long as our devotional service is mixed with mental speculation and fruitive activities we will be obliged to take birth again in this material world in order to try to satisfy our unfulfilled desires. What a foolish waste of time and energy! Such desires are not worth it because they will never satisfy us. Therefore those who are actually intelligent take the cultivation of pure devotional service as their only business. They quickly become free from all anxieties and at the time of death immediately enter into the transcendental pastimes of Lord Sri Krishna with his pure loving devotees. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Can Eating Vegetables Also Be Sinful? While discussing with one of my friends I got confused. According to the four regulative principles of Krishna consciousness, I g

There's at least one thing for sure. This material world is a place of uncertainty. You never know what is going to happen next. Things can be going along really great when all of sudden out of the blue disaster strikes. This is why if we want lasting peace and happiness we must always take shelter of Krishna. It is only when we take full shelter of that inconceivably amazing beautiful person who is the source of all existence that we can find certainty in a world full of uncertainty. Krishna is the supreme all-merciful controller. He is supreme in every conceivable and inconceivable way. We can always count on Him in all times, places, and circumstances. So besides uncertainty, there's another thing for sure. Krishna's mercy is certain. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question:How to Become Accomplished in Bhakti Yoga? How we can one become accomplished in the bhakti yoga system? Please mention what is the process. Sourav Answer: Through

There is a truly amazing thing happening on this planet right now. The Krishna consciousness movement is inundating the planet earth with a tsunami of transcendental bliss. Those who are attuned to the higher reality which exists beyond the rotting material body are taking full advantage of this nectarean ocean and are sporting and swimming in its waves with great delight. Don't miss the bliss. Don't be left behind. Dive into this ambrosial ocean today. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Can Yogis Make Their Bodies Eternal? The material body is temporary, it is subject to birth, death, old age and disease. Can you tell me, does this fact apply to mystic yogis who possess eight mystic powers? I read from the Gita that those who are accomplished in mystic yoga can choose the time and situation of leaving their body. Does it mean that they have the power to negate the law of nature and be immortal if they choose not leave their bod

For one who has fully dedicated his life for awakening his dormant Krishna consciousness and the dormant Krishna consciousness of the suffering humanity, life is a never ending adventure because Krishna consciousness is ever increasing. There is no limit to how far it can expand. Therefore there is no limit to the happiness that can be tasted by Lord's sincere devotee. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: How to Receive Guru's Training? There are millions of devotees of Krishna who do not know the process of transcendental meditation. This process is to be learned from a bona fide spiritual master on a one-on-one basis. Where are so many spiritual masters? Is there any alternative to a bona fide spiritual master? Could the process be explained through daily inspirational thoughts? Janardan V.Mali Answer:Especially Through His Vibrational Presence The spiritual master is not only present in his written word. He is also present in t

Krishna is unlimitedly kind. Even though through our eons of lifetimes we have accumulated an inconceivable burden of sinful karma for which we are slated to suffer like anything for millions and millions of births, it we simply surrender ourselves to Krishna, that I now I am your eternal servant, please engage me in any way you like--Krishna will kindly relieve us from all of our karma and take us back to our original form and identity in the spiritual world. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version:  Question: How to Change Someone's Destiny?  It is appreciated that you are trying to live your life at every moment for the deliverance of the suffering souls of this material world. In this material world some are doomed to suffer due to their karma. When there is no escape from sufferings for such people how can you change their destiny ordained by themselves? Janardan V.Mali  Answer: We Cannot, But Krishna Can. We cannot change anyone's d

Eternal, youthful, all-blissful existence is your divine birthright, but you have now lost it. If you would like to regain it, all you have to do is engage your mind, speech, and body in those thoughts, words, and deeds that were originally natural for you. This training will revive your original, eternal identity. This art is learned from the bona fide spiritual master, that person who is fully situated in his spiritual identity and can thus teach you how to do the same. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version:   Question: We Fell from the Lord's Pastimes or Brahman? Did we fall to this material world from having a spiritual personality and spiritual form in the Lord's eternal pastimes in the spiritual sky? Or did we fall to his material world from from an impersonal formless existence in the impersonal Brahman? S.F.  Answer: We Gave Up the Lord's Association Lord Caitanya has very nicely answered this question when He was instructin

My dear Lord Caitanya, My spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is your dearmost servant, is teaching us that a Krishna conscious being is always engaged in planning how to take all of suffering humanity back home, back to Godhead and that we should always be Krishna conscious. So in spite of my innumerable disqualifications I am trying to live my life in this way at every moment for the deliverance of the suffering souls of this material world. But my dear Lord Caitanya, I am facing so many impediments that sometimes I wonder how I can carry on with this duty. Therefore, oh most merciful Lord Caitanya, I am desperately begging you like a child crying for its mother that you kindly remove all the impediments so that I can be successful in executing the duty given to me by my spiritual master. Your humble servant, hopefully crying for your mercy. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Who is Qualified to Lea

Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: How to Choose a Guru? I'm in bitter confusion about how a disciple after few years in his devotional life, would get initiated. So kindly, please very elaborately and deeply describe the process of choosing a spiritual master in ISKCON. There are many gurus, but I don't know to whom I belong. So if you could explain or direct me to a lecture where its taught, it would be very nice. Thank you. Your Servant. C.R. Answer: Who Best Connects You with Prabhupada? What is the difficulty? Associate with as many ISKCON gurus as possible through attending their lectures, hearing their recorded lectures, watching their videos, reading their writings, and having personal darshans to see which guru inspires you the most to dedicate your life to follow the teachings given in Srila Prabhupada's books. If you sincerely and diligently search in this way, Krishna will instruct you from within who is your spiritual master. If

There is a spirit-soul present in every living thing. Therefore all forms of life should be respected. In the Bhagavad-gita Lord Sri Krishna explains that the humble sages see with equal vision all varieties of living beings. This is why a society which freely kills cows and unborn children is a most condemned and unfortunate society. They do not realize how they will be punished by the laws of nature. We try to warn them, but they do not heed our warning. If they would only stop their heinous activities and chant the holy names of God, this entire planet would be turned into a paradise. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Attracted to Krishna But Can't Give Up Fish I feel very attracted towards Lord Krishna. I do a few rounds of japa daily (thought not sixteen rounds, since my work pressure does not leave me with the required time to do so), and have given up alcohol. Though I have given up meat, I have not been able to give up fish, sin

The planet earth is presently under the control of asuras, materialistic persons who are not enlightened with the transcendental knowledge of how to live in peaceful, submissive harmony with the Supreme Person, the source of all existence. Because of their ignorance, they are foolishly trying to attain peace and happiness by exploiting the resources of the material nature. They have no mood of loving reciprocation with the Supreme Person. Indeed, they either openly deny His existence, covertly deny His existence by saying that He is impersonal or void, or even if accepting His existence, instead of trying to serve Him selflessly use Him selfishly as their order-supplier. No matter which of these moods they choose, they are clashing with the Supreme Person and spoiling the atmosphere of the earth. Therefore their civilization is doomed. It cannot and will not remain. We are therefore trying to save them before it is too late by teaching them how to surrender to the Supreme Personality

Any journey you take on this planet will leave you in the same place you started: stuck in the realm of birth, death, old age, and disease. Therefore those who are actually intelligent and philosophically inclined take the inner journey of self discovery instead. This inner journey of spiritual awakening is the most exciting travel experience you can ever have. At every moment newer and more enlivening realms of consciousness are discovered as you gradually progress to the perfectional stage of pure love of Godhead. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Why is there Suffering in this Material World? Dear Sir, Humble Pranams! I am a devotee of Lord Sri Krishna. I want to know why is there so much suffering in this material world when God, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Sri Krishna, loves all living beings unconditionally. Most humble servant, Kavita Answer: We Inflicted this Suffering Upon Ourselves Our suffering in the material

In this material world there are so many varieties of places: hot, cold, wealthy, poor, strong, weak, beautiful, ugly, densely populated, sparsely populated, etc. Because of the relativities of material existence some appear to be good, some bad, and some in the middle. But the real fact is that they all are of the same category because they are all places of repeated birth and death. If we want to go to a truly different destination we must travel to the spiritual world where life is eternal, full of knowledge, and full of bliss. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: How to Enlighten Everyone? I want to ask you some questions: 1.How can we provide good knowledge to everyone? 2. From my busy schedule (college, lectures, exams) how can I get pure Krishna consciousness? 3. Is there any other book better than the Bhagavad-gita? Ganesh Pune, Maharashtra, India Answer: Tell Them About Krishna's Teachings. You can provide the highes

7 December 2010--Today we are resuming our around-the-world lecture tour as the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. On the most auspicious occasion I am humbly begging for the mercy of Srila Prabhupada that he may keep me always engaged 24 hours a day in whatever way I can best serve his mission of delivering all living beings from their entanglement within the vicious cycle of birth and death. For this mighty task I have absolutely no qualification. But if I have any qualification at all, it is that am I willing to try my level best to do whatever is required to push forward this Krishna consciousness movement all over the world. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Can I Be Srila Prabhupada's Disciple? Dear Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! When I chant am I directly contacting Krishna? Or is it so that I have to chant via a spiritual master in order to c

Everyone wants love. In fact we are all starving for love. The difficulty is that we are more interested in getting love than we are in giving love. But this does not work because love is selfless. It is not selfish. True love can only be experienced to the extent that we give love to everyone without any thought of return. This is called pure, unmotivated love. The perfection of love is thus when we can totally and genuinely serve all other living beings. But how to achieve this state? How can I give all of my love to one living being when at same time I am supposed to give all of my love to all other living beings as well? The answer is quite simple. Just as by watering the root of a tree all the leaves and branches are nourished, by giving all of my love to the Supreme Person, who is the root cause of all existence, my love is then perfectly distributed to all living beings whoever they may be and wherever they may throughout the vast total existence. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answe

Being a devotee of Lord Krishna means 24 hours daily. In other words there is no such thing as a part time devotee. If someone is a devotee, he will always remain a devotee in all circumstances. It's not that when he is at the temple his a devotee and that when he goes home or to work that he becomes a non-devotee. Krishna clearly states in the Bhagavad-gita that devotional service means unfailing in all circumstances. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Why Buddhists Are Atheists? I am very lucky to have a master who is helping with my questions. If Lord Buddha achieved self realization, He must have been Krishna conscious or God consciousness. But yet the Buddhists don't believe in God. Why is this? Thank you KC Answer: Unknowingly Buddhists Are Theists It is amazing that even without knowing it the Buddhists are theists, that they are God conscious. This is because Lord Buddha is an incarnation of Krishna. At the time of L

For countless eons you've been waiting for this moment when you can finally break free from the chains of material existence and regain your eternal, full-of-knowledge, and full-of-bliss position in the spiritual sky. Now, by the combined mercy of guru and Krishna, you have been given the key that unlocks the door to permanent deliverance from all forms of suffering. Take advantage of this most auspicious opportunity and fully break free now from the clutches of maya or illusion. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Can Chanting Alone Lead to Perfection? Gurudeva: Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! Thank you very much for your daily thoughts on the sublime philosophy of Krishna Consciousness. There are so many rules and regulations to follow if one wants to become a sincere devotee of Srila Prabhupada and his disciples. If one is very much caught up in maya, even though aware of these rules and regulati

Krishna consciousness can save the entire world, if they only knew. It can solve all the problems: crime, terrorism, scarcity, global warming, disease, pollution, etc, if they only knew. Therefore we must fully dedicate our lives for enlightening everyone in the transcendental science of Krishna consciousness. We want to see that day as soon as possible when everyone knows who is Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Challenge: Science is Saving the World Hare Krishna, Gurudeva, Thank you for the inspirational daily thoughts. May Krishna elevate you to highest level for bringing us joy even in our darkest moment. Blessed are you to have this blessing from Krishna Himself. Regarding your statement in yesterday's "Thought for the Day" that the scientists will not be able to make us immortal. To me your statement is called vanity and fruitless work, misleading to the masses and disturbing the min

The entire human civilization is lost due to being abysmally engrossed in material sense gratification. Those rare souls who have so fortunately been awakened from the deadening spell of maya or illusion, by the mercy of Sri Guru, have entered into the transcendental realm of Krishna consciousness. They naturally, out a sense of acute compassion, dedicate their lives to rescuing the bewildered human civilization from the ever-increasingly chaotic quagmire of material bodily consciousness. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Will the Scientists Make Humans Immortal? I am a follower of Lord Sri Krishna. Recently I have read an article that within 20 years the material scientists will make humans immortal. Can it be true? Please clarify my doubt. This disturbs my mind when I am praying to Krishna. Aluru Answer: Only the Bhakti Scientists Can Do That. The claim of the material scientists that within 20 years they will make us immortal i

When I told one of my Godbrothers that I was writing a daily "Thought for the Day", he was amazed that how I could write a new realization every day. But, personally, I do not find it to be very amazing. Our beloved spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, has mercifully given us such a wonderful, enlightened perspective on reality, that it would not be difficult to write a new realization every minute. We simply have to always remember how Srila Prabhupada would see things and see everything through his vision. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: How Krishna Can Be God If He Takes Birth? I am from the Sikh religion, but I am more attracted towards Lord Krishna. One query disturbing my mind is that in our scripture, the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, it is mentioned that the Lord never takes birth. But as Lord Krishna does take birth how is He the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Simran Answer: Krishna Is

Arjuna had a complete nervous breakdown on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Even though he was one of the most powerful warriors, famous for his great heroic deeds, on the beginning day of the battle he could not cope with the duty that he was expected to perform. Although he cast aside his bow and arrows and became overwhelmed with grief, he was fortunate to realize that his confusion was due to miserliness. So, he humbly presented himself to Krishna as His fully surrendered disciple, begging Krishna to instruct him. This is a powerful example for us of how to deal with that which is beyond our ability to handle. We simply have to humbly approach Krishna or His representative, the bona fide spiritual master, for enlightened guidance and then faithfully follow the instructions that we are given.. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Caste-ism Among the Devotees? Thank you very much for guiding me every day in the form of your precious messages.