Spirituality 101 at York University

10 January 2013--After traveling for almost 24 hours from Mendoza, Argentina we finally arrived in Toronto, Canada at 2pm. And then after getting situated at our host's house, taking prasadam, and a short break, we headed out to York University where I was scheduled to give a well advertised lecture called "Spirituality 101". The young people were very enthusiastic to receive me. This increased my enthusiasm to speak to them. They very joyously joined with me in Hare Krishna kirtan. I explained to them how a life without knowing who you are is a completely unsatisfying waste of time and how they can become fully enlightened spiritual beings and render the highest service to the suffering humanity by reconnecting themselves with the Supreme Person. After the lecture I went to another room for meeting one-on-one with any students who desired to speak with me further. After a private meeting with a Muslim student to guide him in his personal meditations, practically the entire group came to meet me. They had many questions which I patiently answered. I was extremely enlivened and invigorated by the wonderful questions. Here is what they wrote me and my wife on their thank you card:

Congratulations!! On your 10th year anniversary of your "Back to Home Self Realization" course. We pray for your good health and that you continue to inspire millions worldwide.

Hare Krishna Sankarshan Prabhu and Vishnupriya Mataji,

Please accept our humble obeisances; All glories to Srila Prabhupada and his stalwart followers.

We here at the Krishna Club want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for honouring us with your presence. We seek your blessings to continue with this humble effort to please Guru and Gauranga.

Your aspiring servants,
Krishna Club Team

By the time we got back to our residence and took some prasadam it was after midnight. It was indeed an amazingly inspiring day.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers by Citing the Vedic Version:

Question: Offensive to Not Complete My 16 Rounds?

Please accept my humble obeisances
It's a pleasure to listen to your lectures. I am not able to complete my 16 rounds of mahamantra daily. Is it an offense? Can you please guide me? I really want to make progress in my spiritual life after all the personal problems I have had to endure during the last months.

Thank you,
S.N.

Answer: A Devotee Must Maintain His Vow

I am very sorry to hear that you are presently undergoing personal problems. I pray that they may soon be over. I assure you that if you will go deeper into the sublime process of Krishna consciousness, all of your problems will burned away just as the bright sun burns away a dense fog.

Regarding your question about chanting, initiated devotees accept a vow at the time of their initiation to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day on their japa mala beads. So for them it is an offense if they do not complete their 16 rounds quota daily. For others who have not yet accepted initiation it is not an offense, but still they should keep up the 16 rounds daily quota so that they can qualify for initiation.

If one day a devotee is not able to complete his 16 rounds, he can make them up the next day by chanting the missing rounds in addition to that next day’s 16 rounds.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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