Bringing True Happiness to a Miserable World

There is no need for so much chaos and misery in the world as we see today. Lord Caitanya has descended 500 years ago for bestowing the topmost benediction upon the suffering humanity. That benediction is the Krishna consciousness movement, also known as the Hare Krishna movement. Anyone who takes this movement seriously will easily be liberated from the cycle of birth and death. And those who propagate it are immediately recognized by the Lord for doing the topmost welfare work for the suffering humanity.

The Hare Krishna Movement Can Save the World

The Hare Krishna Movement Can Save the World

Answers by Citing the Vedic Version

Question: Balance Between Material and Spiritual

I was reading the Sri Isopanisad and I came across Verse 11:

vidyāḿ cāvidyāḿ ca yas
tad vedobhayaḿ saha
avidyayā mṛtyuḿ tīrtvā
vidyayāmṛtam aśnute

"Only one who can learn the process of nescience and that of transcendental knowledge side by side can transcend the influence of repeated birth and death and enjoy the full blessings of immortality."

In the above verse, it is mentioned that one must learn the process of nescience and transcendental knowledge side by side. Does it encourage us to experience fruitive activities and sense gratification, when it says that you have to learn both the processes side by side? Does it mean that to understand transcendental knowledge, you first need to know material knowledge (fruitive activities and sense gratification)?

Please clear my doubt.

Your servant,

Tushar

Answer: Like Two Rails on a Train Track

This verse means that along with activities for the maintenance of the body, which we are already doing, we must cultivate transcendental knowledge for getting out of the cycle of birth and death. When one has a 107 degree fever, becoming healthy means coming back to 98.6 degrees. It does not mean bringing one's temperature down to zero. Similarly, cultivating transcendental knowledge does not mean that one should totally eliminate activities for the maintenance of the body. Rather he should come to the point of 98.6 degrees where there is proper balance between maintaining the body and gaining liberation from the cycle of birth and death. In other words, for the purpose of spiritual cultivation we require to also have a healthy body. Therefore for this reason we should cultivate material knowledge and engage in material activities to whatever degree is necessary for keeping the body fit, but not for the sake of sense enjoyment. In this way we will free up the maximum amount of time and energy for the cultivation of Krishna consciousness, and there will be perfect balance between matter spirit just like two rails on a train track.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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