Turn On the Light and Destroy the Darkness

In this dark materialistic age of Kali the overwhelming predominance of ignorance and out-and-out madness can be very discouraging and depressing at times. But there is no reason to be affected by all of this negativity. All we have to do to destroy this ocean of darkness is turn on the light of transcendental knowledge by reading the Bhagavad-gita carefully, seeing everything in its light, and then living every day in accordance with its amazingly lucid principles. In this way we will live in an eternal, blissful enlightened adventure always doing the highest good for all living beings throughout this universe and all the universes.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Hoping for a Miracle

In one of the daily thoughts I read this question about chanting and being pure, that one should chant when pure, but even while impure one should start with the chanting because the chanting is purifying. Now I read that one has to reach the nistha stage, firm faith, before approaching guru. But I also read that one can only reach the state of nistha by the mercy of guru (after initiation). So can you please clarify this to me?

In any case the gap between my practice and the minimum formal qualifications seems too big to be crossed. So I just hope for some miracle and try to be in a prayerful state as much as possible.

Y.F.S.

Answer: You've Already Got It.

You already have the miracle. The mercy of the spiritual master is causeless and miraculous because he represents the inconceivable mercy of Lord Nityananda, who was so kind to the most unqualified rascals: Jagai and Madai.

There are two types of faith on the path of spiritual perfection. The first is called sraddha or preliminary faith, and the second is called nistha, firm faith. Without preliminary faith a person would have no interest to approach the spiritual master. So it is preliminary faith which is required to approach the spiritual master, not nistha or firm faith. You obviously already possess preliminary faith. Otherwise you would not be approaching the spiritual master.

The second type of faith, nistha or firm faith, will come after you are initiated and you have freed yourself from all bad habits. That is a very advanced stage in which one fully realizes the Vedic wisdom within his heart. Now that you have sraddha or preliminary faith, I encourage you to take initiation from a bona fide spiritual master so you can clean your heart from the the dust accumulated over millions of lifetimes. To get initiated simply you need to become steady in chanting at least 16 rounds of Hare Krishna mantra japa mala daily along with strictly avoiding illicit sex, meat eating, intoxication, and gambling. In this way you will attain firm faith, the nistha stage, and will then easily progress from there to the perfectional stage, pure Krishna prema.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari