Don't Take Devotee Association for Granted

To have the association of devotees is the greatest good fortune that we can achieve in millions and billions of lifetimes because it is through the association of devotees and by the mercy of devotees that we get the ultimate perfection of Krishna consciousness. Therefore we must always be very appreciative of devotee association and always try to pleasing the devotees in all of our dealings with them.

Devotee Association in Kirtan

Answers by Citing the Vedic Version

Question: Understand Supreme Through Reasoning?

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

This is a question of faith. In this world we tend to try to apply critical reasoning to most aspects of our life, our family, our job, our education, etc. How can I, someone who strives to apply such reasoning throughout my life, discard this and believe all that is said by scripture and a spiritual master when sometimes what is said is rather fantastical, beyond reason. The mere existence of a Supreme defies science. Stories of Ganesha's elephant head, miracles, and others defy reason.

Thank you so much for your time and guidance.

Kayton Parekh

Answer: Every Machine Requires an Operator

Regarding this question: It is not true that the existence of a Supreme defies science. To the contrary, it is science which reconfirms the existence of a Supreme. In science we observe and analyze the world around us and draw conclusions, which are known as scientific theories. The validity of those theories is tested by observation and experiment. If the theory holds true after intense scrutiny, it is accepted as true. This is the scientific method.

We can apply the same scientific method to realize the truth of the Supreme Person. By studying machines throughout the world we can conclude that all machines require an operator. And then we can analyze the universe and see that it is functioning as a gigantic machine. From this we can conclude that there must be a Supreme Operator controlling the universe.

From science we also learn that there many things beyond our sense perception. Just because we haven't personally seen something does not mean that it does not exist. Science confirms this by showing us many thins we can not see on our own. With the naked eye we cannot see ultra violet rays, but we know they exist because we have an instrument that can see them. Similarly, we have an instrument called consciousness which can, when finely tuned, allow us to personally see God.

So Krishna consciousness does not reject science. Krishna consciousness is the perfection of science.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari