I Never Came Back to the World of Misery

Back in 1965 when I was a college student I couldn't stand the material world that I had been born into. It was way too miserable for me, unacceptably unpalatable. Since I intuitively understood that fate could not be so cruel to leave me stranded forever in a world like this, I began earnestly searching for a way to access the beautiful, blissful world that I knew must be on the other side of reality. I encountered many teachings that claimed to be the way to get there, and I tried their methods. But much to my disappointment, nothing liberated me. After three years of painful searching I was still stuck in the muck of miserable material existence.

But one fateful evening in fall of 1968 in Denver, Colorado USA my arduous search bore the sweetest of all fruits. A friend of mine named Patrick Dolan handed me the key to open the door to that amazing transcendental world. He taught me an amazing mantra, which possesses unlimited potency for delivering those who chant it sincerely to the highest realm of existence:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

I gladly took the key and learned how to pass through the door to the blissful side of reality. And I never came back to the world of misery.

Flying the Hare Krishna Mantra Airplane 14 October 2011--Kaliningrad, Russia

Sankarshan Das Flying the Hare Krishna Mantra Airplane, Kaliningrad, Russia

Answers by Citing the Vedic Version

Question: When to Abandon Material Activities?

Gurudeva,

I am every day reading your "Thought for the Day". I am really inspired with by it and would like to become enlightened by following your principles. I got a doubt after reading your response for the question, "Should I give up material studies?". How can we be successful in both spiritual and materialistic life? Don't we have to abandon our materialistic activities at some point of our life and concentrate more on spiritual life? Also when should we give up such activities?

Your sincere follower,

Malini

Answer: Retire at 50 or As Soon As It's Practical

For earning a livelihood material studies when necessary should not be given up. But in the Vedic culture activities of material livelihood are meant to be given up by the time we become 50 so that we can devote all of our time and energy to spiritual pursuits. In the modern world, if it is not possible to retire by 50, we should do it as soon as it becomes practical after 50.

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

Misguided Fools Say that Masturbation is Healthy

Image
Foolish modern day materialists recommend masturbation as follows: "Masturbation is a common activity. It’s a natural and safe way to explore your body, feel pleasure, and release built-up sexual tension. It occurs among people of all backgrounds, genders, and races. Despite the myths, there are actually no physically harmful side effects of masturbation." They are wrong. To get a proper understanding on this this topic read the question and answer section below. Answers According to the Vedic Wisdom Question: What are the Ill Effects of Masturbation? Since you answered questions related to understanding the real need of sex in a human being's life, so I also request you to please enlighten us with the knowledge about semen conservation, it's importance, and the consequences of frequently releasing it thorough sex or masturbation. Since today most of the youth are indulged in mansturbation and they think it to be good in comparison to doing sex with some female for ...
Read more