Crossing Over to the Side of Light

There are two sides to reality. One side is the conditioned side where life is temporary, full of ignorance, and full of misery. The other side is the liberated side where life is eternal, full of knowledge, and full of bliss. The devotee always desires to cross over the Causal Ocean to enter that other side, which is known as the paravyoma, the Spiritual Sky. In Sanskrit there is the word pāragam, which literally means crossing over. It is a very significant word. It refers to one who can take the disciple to the other side of reality. The spiritual master takes the disciple to the other side by opening his eyes with the shining torchlight of knowledge. We are presently suffering like anything due to ignorance. By the merciful guidance of the spiritual master, the darkness of ignorance is removed, and thus the disciple is enabled to cross over to the side of freedom. The Bhagavad-gita explains that after many, many births one surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, if, after many, many births, one is able to find a bona fide spiritual master and surrender to such a bona fide representative of Krishna, one can cross over the Causal Ocean and enter the paravyoma, the side of light.

Sharing the Bliss of Krishna Consciousness
Home Program in Pune, India--18 November 2011

Sankarshan Das Sharing the Bliss of Krishna Consciousness Home Program in Pune

Answers by Citing the Vedic Version

Question: Is Attachment Material?

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Could you please give me guidance on the subject of attachment? I have a friend that keeps telling me that the only attachment that is healthy is our attachment to God and that we should not be attached to family, even our own children from birth. I know that this is not the way it is written in the scriptures. Could you please explain attachment to family to me in such a way that I can relate this information to my friend and get things straight in my head?

Thank you.

I trust this meets you in good health.

Your servant.

Debbie

Answer: Yes, When It Is Not Krishna Conscious

It is natural to love our family members, and there is no reason for a devotee to deny this love. Krishna consciousness does not mean to deny loving attachment. Krishna consciousness means to expand our love to the perfectional platform of becoming attached to God. Because Krishna or God is the root of the entire creation, when we love Him, then and only then can we truly love all other living beings including our family members. In other words, our loving attachment to our family members will always remain imperfect and incomplete until we come to platform of Krishna consciousness. Attachment without Krishna consciousness is material. And attachment within Krishna consciousness is perfect. A Krishna conscious person, a person who truly loves Krishna, will naturally feel loving attachment for all living beings, seeing all of them as Krishna's parts and parcels and as therefore being his beloved family members whom he wants to serve by helping them to be connected with Krishna.

So the conclusion is that both you and your friend are correct. It is simply a matter of proper understanding.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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