Ultimate Self Realization

29 September 2012--Today we were blessed with the most auspicious opportunity to do a parikrama of Govardhan Hill. As soon as Govardhan became visible we stopped at a suitable spot along the way and I explained to the devotees in my own words this history of how Govardhan appeared in this world: While in Goloka Vrindavana Krishna informed Srimati Radharani that She should now appear on earth as it was time for Them to perform Their different pastimes within the material world. Srimati Radharani replied that unless Vraja Dhama, the Yamuna and Govardhan Hill were present there, She would not be very happy. Krishna told Radharani that She need not worry, and informed Srimati Radharani that Vraja Dhama, the Yamuna and Govardhan Hill had already made Their appearance on the earth planet. In the Satya Yuga, in the land of Salmali dvipa, the wife of the great mountain Dronacal gave birth to a son named Govardhan. At the time of Govardhana's birth all the demigods appeared in the sky an...

27 September 2012--When it was suggested that we return to the Yamuna River for taking bath again I could not resist the offer. There is truly nothing more sublime than bathing in the Yamuna. Simply thinking about Yamuna frees one from all sin--what to speaking of seeing her, feeling the breeze blowing across her, or bathing in her sacred waters. Before entering Yamuna I offered full dandavats to her lying prostate on her sandy bank. I begged Krishna's pure devotee, Goddess Yamuna, to bless me that I can successfully execute the instruction that Srila Prabhupada gave his disciples, "Become guru and deliver the entire world." For such an impossible feat we certainly require incredible mercy from Lord Sri Krishna and all of His pure devotees. Then after begging for this benediction I bathed in the divine Yamuna feeling the most sublime happiness within my heart. As we were returning to our ashram it was so wonderful to see the cows grazing on the Yamuna's bank remind...

According to Srila Rupa Goswami, the first step on the path of Krishna consciousness is to take shelter of the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master. Why is this so important? If you were so set sail on a ship across the ocean, would you do so without a rudder? Of course you wouldn't because you would have no way to control the direction of the ship. Becoming Krishna conscious is also crossing the ocean. Instead of the Atlantic or the Pacific, in this case it is the most formidable ocean of birth and death. This is why having a spiritual master is essential. Without a guru you are simply lost being tossed in the waves the material ocean. But with a bona fide spiritual master you are perfectly guided how to cross this most dangerous of all oceans. This is why it is essential to take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, not a charlatan so-called guru who is himself lost in the ocean of birth and death. Srila Prabhupada Expertly Guides His Disciples Answers by Citing t...

Today, 26 September 2012, Krishna blessed us with his special mercy. We were allowed the mercy of visiting Vrindavana's original temple, the Madan Mohan Mandir, situated prominently upon the Dvadasaditya Hill, the hill on which Lord Krishna was dried off by twelve suns after subduing the Kaliya serpent in the waters of the Yamuna River. We took darshan of Madan Mohan and then I gave a lecture on the Srimad Bhagavatam. It was very sublime and peaceful place for a class by the temple on the top of the hill. While we were singing kirtan a cow was grazing besides us on the temple lawn reminding us of Krishna and His cows. Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Is Guru a Manifestation of Krishna? Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. In a letter that Srila Prabhupada wrote to Jagadisha das dated 29 September, 1970 Prabhupada has said "You know that Krishna is Spiritual Master from within and Spiritual Master is manifestation of Krishna w...

Srila Rupa Goswami describes that one of the ten most important items in the practice of Krishna consciousness is to reside in a sacred place of pilgrimage such as Dvaraka or Vrindavana. Therefore I consider myself greatly fortunate to have been provided by the Lord with a place of residence here in Vrindavana. Even though we only spend about one and half months here every year, it is still the greatest blessing to be allowed to spend some time in Vrindavana. Srila Prabhupada said that Vrindavana is his home. And it also feels very much like home to us as well. Even if one cannot come to Vrindavana or cannot live in Vrindavana, they can still live in Vrindavana by making their home as good as Vrindavana. This is accomplished by setting up their home as an ashram, a place of spiritual cultivation. They can prohibit meat eating, intoxication, and gambling in their home and hold regular kirtans there. They can establish an altar in their home and offer all of their food to the Lord on t...

Because the modern day religious leaders have failed to understand the inner essence of religion they have not been able to properly guide their followers towards the common goal of a peaceful, unified God-centered world society. As we have many times stated before, religion is one, to become a pure lover of God. But as soon as we politicize it by dividing into this religion and that religion we are missing the point and descending into various degrees of material consciousness. Therefore we are now calling upon all the world's religious leaders to carefully read Srila Prabhupada's books so that they can understand how to properly guide their followers for bringing the desired goal of a global God-centered society to today's fractured world. Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: I Am Confused. Am I on the Right Track? I am trying to get involved in Krishna Consciousness. It happened two years back when i came in contact with some devotees. Initially I stopped e...

Even though originally our nature is purely spiritual, due to our being associated with matter since time immemorial we have developed the tendency to always remain in material consciousness. Therefore we have to work very hard to stay fixed in Krishna consciousness. We must make an all-out concerted effort to conquer over laziness of the mind and body and keep ourselves fixed always in remembering and serving Krishna. It is well worth the effort because even the slightest amount of energy expended to revive our Krishna consciousness is handsomely rewarded by the supremely benevolent Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna. Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: How Hitler Was Vegetarian But Still Evil? Respected Gurudeva, According to the principle of "You are what you eat," if someone is non-veg (a meat eater) they develop a tamasic, demoniac nature. In this regard I have a doubt. If by eating non veg one becomes sinful, and by being a pure vegetarian he is p...

Life is miserable in the present day world society in which the words of great saintly teachers are neglected, where "might makes right" is the governing principle, and lust and greed are the motivating factors. Such a misguided world where nobody is truly happy is in desperate need of the enlightened guidance of the bona fide spiritual master for bringing peace, stability, happiness, and prosperity back to the people. But the trouble is that the people are so misguided that they refuse to hear from the bona fide spiritual master. So what is their hope for finding genuine happiness? Somehow they must be induced to hear transcendental knowledge and the chanting of the holy names of God because this alone will save them. Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: What is the Meaning of Life? What is the meaning of life? I am practicing Krishna consciousness from the past two years. I chant 16 rounds daily, do puja and offerings to Krishna, and study scripture, but stil...

The devotee's life is a two track transcendental adventure. While externally tasting the excitement of traveling and preaching all over the world for igniting a global spiritual revolution, he internally relishes the sweet mellows of Krishna bhakti from his connection with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These external and internal rasas are not in conflict with each other. Rather they enhance each other, just like the two separate rhythms that amalgamate into one attractive rhythmical pattern when one simultaneously plays the two heads of a mridanga drum. Srila Prabhupada Relishing Krishna's Name Srila Prabhupada Spreading the Mercy Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: How Muslims and Christians Get Purified? Dear Maharaja, Please accept my humble obeisances! By chanting we become purified from our sins. What about the Christians and Muslims? How are they supposed to become purified from the reactions of their sins? Thank you, Sri Nair Answer: B...

Presently on our around-the-world lecture tour we are staying in Shah Alam, a city in the Muslim country of Malaysia. Naturally while here in a country full of Mosques and Muslims I consider the relationship between Islam and Krishna consciousness. According to Wikipedia, "Islam" means voluntary submission to the will of God and the one who does so is a Muslim. If we strictly accept these definitions, a Krishna conscious person or for that matter anyone else who voluntarily surrenders to God's will would also be considered to be a Muslim. So why is there so much strife in the world over religious designations? The difficulty is that we have divided religion into this ism and that ism. Religion is one, to fully surrender to the will of God. Whether we describe religion in Arabic as Islam or in Sanskrit as Dharma, the same principle of complete surrender to the will of God remains the same. Quarreling over whether one should practice Dharma or Islam is meaningless because...

In Goloka Vrindavana everyone is astonished by Krishna. Even though He is the cynosure of all eyes and all minds and is seen doing the most amazing transcendental pastimes every day, no one can understand that He is God. The cowherd men tell Nanda Maharaja, "Your Krishna is wonderful." And Nanda Maharaja replies, "Yes, He is wonderful. Maybe He is some demigod." Even that is not sure. Nanda Maharaja says, "Maybe He is some demigod." This is the power of Krishna's transcendental deluding power, yoga-maya. Since even the energy of Krishna is so inconceivably amazing, what can we understand of the unlimitedly wonderful Krishna Himself, the source of all wonderful things? We can only understand and realize what He allows us to understand by His loving mercy. The Most Amazing Simply Wonderful Krishna Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Homosexuality & Krishna Consciousness Dear Srila Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances. All gl...

Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? If so, you need to revive your eternal spiritual body, which never gets sick and never gets tired. All you have to do to revive it is to reawaken your eternal loving relationship with Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by engaging in His loving service under the expert guidance of the bona fide spiritual master. You can start right now, if you haven't already done so. Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Are We in the Kali Yuga? My Dear Srila Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances. Glory to Your Grace. Glory to Srila Prabhupada. Last week during the lecture it was said that we are not yet in Kali Yuga. Are we not, Srila Gurudeva? Please elaborate. I really thought we were. Your Grace's eternal servant, Jessica Answer: We Are Deeply Immersed in Kali Yuga Either the lecturer was wrong or you misunderstood what was said. At the present moment we are deeply immersed in the Kali yuga. We ...

Death is coming to each and every one of us, and we can't avoid it by any means. It does not matter how much wealth, power, and fame we may have. It does not matter if we are surrounded by loving friends and relatives. When our time has come to leave the body, we must do so. But if one can awaken his identity as Krishna's eternal servant, he has already defeated death. He has already entered into immortality. For such an enlightened soul death is nothing more than serving Krishna in one room and then moving into another room to have even better facility to serve Him there. Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: How Can a Devotee Survive at His Job? My humble obeisances to Guru and Gurumata. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Dear Gurudeva, Srila Prabhupada's purport to Bhagavad-gita:18.26 says: "A person in Krishna consciousness is always transcendental to the material modes of nature. He has no expectations for the result of the work entrusted to him, be...

It is not difficult to always be blissful, even in this most hellish modern civilization. One simply has to always remember Krishna, that's all. It is Krishna who is holding everything together. Without His potency nothing at all would exist. He is the foundation upon which everything rests. Without His support the entire universe would collapse within a second. So it does not make sense at all to not be connected with such a all-powerful, influential person. Any sane man will naturally fix himself in Krishna consciousness. Thus resituated in his natural position he will experience unlimited happiness at every minute. Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Are We God's Children or His Servants? I read somewhere that this whole universe came into existence because of God's feeling alone and desiring that there should be others around besides Him. Since we are created by the God, we are His children. Then why do you say we are His servants? Why the Almighty God wo...

Krishna is actually present everywhere. But because our eyes are presently covered by lust, greed, anger, madness, illusion, and envy we cannot see Him. We instead see the covering curtain of His material energy. Since His energy is also Him we are in fact seeing Him when we perceive His material energy. But this is not His pleasing form. This can be compared to a small child who always enjoys a sweet, affectionate relationship with his father. One day his father, who happens to a soldier, comes home wearing his full battle gear. This causes the child fear and anxiety. Our situation is like that. Instead of seeing the original form of the Lord, which is so sweet and beautiful, we are seeing His fearsome aspect as the all-devouring material energy. If we chant the Lord's holy names regularly with love and devotion and give up our sinfulness, the above-mentioned coverings which are completely clouding our consciousness will gradually be washed away, and we will once again perceive o...

While lecturing on the Caitanya Caritamrita in Mayapur on 6 April 1975 Srila Prabhupada told us that in the future ISKCON would have ten million acharyas. So where are we going to get these ten million acharyas? We have to become those acharyas and then train others how to also become acharyas. In this way Srila Prabhupada's prediction of ten million acharyas will come true, and there will be an inundation of peace, happiness, and prosperity all over the world. On 13 September 2012 I was blessed by Radhakanta Prabhu, a teacher at ISKCON's Vrindavan Gurukula, with the opportunity to speak to the young gurukula students about how to become spiritually perfect by chanting and hearing the holy names of God. This was a most auspicious opportunity for me to pass on to the next generation whatever I have realized about the sublime, liberating process of Krishna consciousness. Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Plea for Help: Anxiety is Eating Me Alive Dear Srila Gurudeva, Plea...

Krishna has blessed me with the opportunity to give many different lectures on Krishna bhakti here in His most sacred abode, Sri Vrindavana Dhama. This is my unlimited good fortune. Anyone who hears or speaks about Krishna is unlimitedly benefitted, especially here in Sri Vrindavana Dhama, where we get 1,000 times the benefit from any kind of devotional activities. Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: What is the Original Form of the Soul? In many lectures Srila Prabhupada says that just as our shirt has two hands and our pants have two legs because our body has two legs and two hands, in a similar way our material body has got two hands and two legs because our original spiritual body has got two legs and two hands. Since the plants and animals also are souls with forms, what then is the original form of soul? Yours servant. Geetha Answer: The Soul Originally Has a Human Form The original form of the soul is a human form. Plants and animals are human beings who are b...

On 8 September 2012 we were blessed with the most nectarean visit to the River Yamuna. Sadly nowadays the real Yamuna is practically absent from Vrindavan. Eighty-five per cent of Yamuna is captured by a dam upstream for irrigation purposes and all that Vrindavan gets is toxic sewage water flowing down the Yamuna bed from New Delhi. (for more information: http://news.iskcon.com/node/3695 ) During Krishna's manifest pastimes here 5,000 years ago Yamuna was similarly polluted by the presence of the poisonous snake Kaliya. At that time Yamuna was so polluted that nothing could live along its banks. Even a bird flying over it would drop dead from its poisonous fumes. But right now due the recent monsoon season a huge quantity of Yamuna water was released and now Yamuna is broad and clean. We hired a boat and sang Hare Krishna kirtan while we enjoyed a ride across the Yamuna. We began our boat ride from Kesi Ghat, a sacred place of Lord Sri Krishna's transcendental pastimes. ...

There is absolutely nothing to be afraid of except for one thing: forgetting Lord Krishna. One who always remembers Krishna sees His loving hand in all circumstances and is never overpowered by fear, lamentation, or illusion. The purely Krishna conscious person is in a fully enlightened state of awareness perfectly dovetailed with the Supreme Personality of Godhead in all times, places, and circumstances. Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: If I Don't Become Perfect in this Lifetime? Dear Maharaja, Please accept my humble obeisances! Hare Krishna! There is no certainty that we will reach the abode of the Lord. What will be the fate of our soul if we had done all we can as far as devotional service is concerned and fall down with one little mistake? Will we need to start all over again?. Regards, Veena Answer: Continue Where You Left Off in Next Life The good news is that whatever progress you make on the pathway of bhakti, that progress is your eternal asset. F...

Before I surrendered myself at the lotus feet of my eternal spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, I was going through a most miserable hell. But now since August 12, 1971 that I have gotten Srila Prabhupada's shelter, my life has been transformed into a constant celebration of unlimited bliss. So I know from my own personal experience how potent it is to be initiated by a bona fide spiritual master. Srila Prabhupada instructed his disciples that after his departure that they should also become gurus and initiate disciples. So as one of his disciples it is my duty as a service to him to accept disciples. It's not that I think myself to be qualified for such an exalted position. It is simply a service that I must render because Srila Prabhupada has ordered us to do so. On 9 September 2012 here in Sri Vrindavana Dhama I accepted four new disciples and gave brahminical initiation to two of my already initiated disciples. It was a most joyful exp...

When times get really tough and you just feel like you can't handle it anymore, there is no need to despair. This is the most advantageous and opportune moment for you to take complete shelter of Krishna and once and for all solve all the problems of your existence. Why suffer any longer? Put yourself completely in the hands of Krishna. Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Did We Fall from an In-Between World? If I originally came from the spiritual world then why did I fall? I thought once you are in the spiritual world you are guaranteed not to fall again. I can't see how you could have "misbehaved" in the spiritual world to have fallen again. Some Krishna followers don't believe we were ever in the spiritual world. They say that we were "somewhere in between" and that we fell from there and not from the spiritual world. Please comment. your humble servant Prav. Answer: There is No In-Between World The principle is that once you ret...

Unlimited bliss is there right now for you to taste. You have simply have to open up your heart to Krishna. Surrender unto Him fully accepting Him as your eternal lord and master. Why suffer a moment longer? Immediately give up your false sense of independence and enter into the amazing dimension of transcendental existence. You've got nothing to lose, except for your anxiety, and an eternal existence full of love, bliss, and knowledge to gain. Krishna is the Original Source of Everything Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Better to Serve Here or in Spiritual World? My dear Maharaja! Please accept my respectful obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! When you started this preaching tour you are presently on, you said that it was a very auspicious trip, but you also said that even more auspicious was the trip back to home, back to Godhead. Well, I have a question: Is it more important to serve the Lord in the spiritual world or to serve Him in this world re...

The most amazing place in this entire universe is Sri Vrindavana Dhama, the tract of land in which Lord Sri Krishna displayed His unlimitedly splendorous pastimes 5,000 years ago. In his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 3.1.24 Srila Prabhupada has lucidly described this topmost of all holy places as follows: The tract of land comprising about one hundred square miles from modern Delhi to the Mathura district in Uttar Pradesh, including a portion of the Gurgaon district in Punjab (East India), is considered to be the topmost place of pilgrimage in all of India. This land is sacred because Lord Krishna traveled through it many times. From the very beginning of His appearance, He was at Mathura in the house of His maternal uncle Kamsa, and He was reared by His foster father Maharaja Nanda at Vrindavana. There are still many devotees of the Lord lingering there in ecstasy in search of Krishna and His childhood associates, the gopis. It is not that such devotees meet Krishna face to face in t...

The planet earth is now experiencing an ever-worsening water shortage crisis. Without sufficient water there will not be sufficient food, and the world civilization will be finished. It is simply a matter of time before the social structure completely collapses and civilization as we now know it vanishes into oblivion. Shortage of water is due to a lack of rain. And, according to the authoritative words of Lord Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita, lack of rain is due to neglecting the congregational chanting of the holy names of God. By this neglect the world society is now moving more and more day by day to into the dark abyss of atheism and is thus committing gradual global suicide. Water Shortage Will Soon Reach Epidemic Proportions Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Can Chanting Save the World? Dear Gurudeva, Kindly accept my obeisances. The world is not at peace all over. Can our chanting bring peace to all humanity or just to oneself alone? Timmy Answer: It Wil...

Why not fully surrender to Lord Krishna right now? You've nothing to lose except for your anxiety, and an entire spiritual world of happiness to gain. Enter into the wonderful world of Krishna consciousness right now by chanting Hare Krishna with love. Srila Prabhupada Teaches Full Surrender to Krishna at Rupa Goswami's Samadhi in Vrindavana Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Why Am I in Ignorance? Dear Gurudeva: Why am I in ignorance? Why am I in trouble? Why am I suffering? Why am I not serious for self realization in Krishna-consciousness? What is my position? Who am I? Why am I in a difficult position? Why am I suffering? Where do I come from? Where do I go? René Waisvisz Answer: Because You Were Not Properly Trained You are in ignorance because you were not trained properly by your teachers. You are in trouble because in ignorance you have done so many things that are not beneficial for you. Because of this ignorance and sinful activities ...

Love for Krishna is already there within your heart. You simply have to stimulate it by regularly hearing and chanting His glories along with tasting the foodstuffs which have been offered to Him. If you adopt this simple process, your original enlightened consciousness of pure love of God, pure love for Krishna, will be revived, and you will taste the sweetest nectar at every minute. The Supremely Beautiful Lovable Krishna Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Don't We Need an Explosion of Intensity? Hare Krishna. You mention the science of God realization and the process of bhakti yoga. Science and yoga have a beginning and an end. If the spiritual soul is completely spiritual, why would we call it eternal when that implies some thing that is on going eternally? Maharaja, don't we need an explosion of intensity within that spiritual context rather than a goal involving a process? Yours in the Dharma Prema Answer: We Need the Bhakti Yoga Love Explosion The ...

We have been rebelling against the authority of the Supreme Lord for countless eons of lifetimes. This is why we are still here suffering in the cycle of birth and death. Why should we foolishly continue with this insanity? It is high time that we give up our silly war of so-called independence and fully surrender ourselves at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This and this alone will give us the peace and happiness that we so much desire at every moment within our hearts. Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Difference Between Jiva and Atma Dear Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances. I do not clearly understand what is the difference between jiva and atma? Both mean soul, so what is the difference? Vaidas Answer: Usually They are Synonymous The word “atma” denotes body, mind and soul—depending upon different circumstances. When it is used to refer to soul it is synonymous with the word “jiva.” When it refers to the body or the mind it not ...

Since God gave us two ears and one mouth, we should be twice as eager to hear as we are to speak. The problem is that we have got it backwards. We are twice as eager to speak as we are to hear. Therefore there is so much misunderstanding and confusion in the world. When we learn how to shut our mouths and hear submissively from the supreme authority, Lord Sri Krishna, and His representative, the bona fide spiritual master, all the problems of the world will be solved. This chaotic madhouse will be transformed into a paradise. Disciples Become Enlightened by Hearing from Srila Prabhupada Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Is Krishna a Manifestation of His Energy? Please accept my humble obeisances! All Glories To Srila Prabhupada! In the Srimad Bhagavatam, Tenth Canto, Chapter 14, Text 18 it sounds like Krishna is manifested from or by His energy. I have always understood that Krishna is the saktiman, the source of all energy, not that He is the product of His ene...

If we want to peacefully chant the holy names of Lord Sri Krishna, we must learn to forgive those who have cheated or abused us. Holding grudges against those who have offended or mistreated us means that we are inflicting mistreatment upon ourselves also. It is matter of intelligent analysis. Two wrongs don't make a right. Since it is not nice to be mistreated, why should we continue inflicting mistreatment upon ourselves due to the mistreatment of others? In conclusion, we should be kind upon ourselves by being kind to those who have been cruel to us. In this way we can uninterruptedly taste the sublime bliss of Krishna consciousness. Lord Jesus is a Great Vaisnava Acharya Because He Asked Krishna to Forgive Those Who Were Crucifying Him Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: The Body or the Self Commits Sins? Dearest Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances. I am really confused about explanations of the theory of reincarnation. I came across a statement t...

On December 17, 1973 in Los Angeles, Srila Prabhupada gave us, his disciples, the order, "Become guru and deliver the whole world." So no matter what happens we must stick to our duty. We may go through good times, and we may go through difficult times. But in all circumstances we must stick to our duty of rescuing the lost, bewildered souls of this age from the cycle of birth and death. Even if we are criticized or persecuted and punished for this attempt, we must stick unflinchingly to our duty. This will save us and will also save those who take advantage of this sublime, topmost knowledge that we are giving them. Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Does Krishna Really Exist? Sometimes I think, "Does Krishna really exist?" Please clear my doubts. Your servant, S.S. Answer: Without Krishna How Could Anything Exist? If Krishna did not exist, how could anything else exist? Therefore, since everything else exists, Krishna must exist also. Nothing ...