Transforming the World into Paradise

5 April 2013--After a wonderful opportunity to increase our Krishna consciousness by a visit to ISKCON's UK headquarters, the Bhaktivedanta Manor, where I gave an evening seminar "Sraddha to Prema" and the morning Srimad Bhagavatam class, we are now heading out today to stay at ISKCON's center in the ultimate abode, Sri Vrindavana Dhama. By the mercy of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada this Krishna consciousness movement is providing wonderful facility for people all over the world to become Krishna consciousness and become liberated from the cycle of birth and death. If everyone will take advantage of this most sublime movement the entire world will be transformed into paradise.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Devotees Spread Transcendental Bliss

Answers by Citing the Vedic Version:

Questions: Significance of Sacred Syllable Om?

In traditional Hinduism OM \ AUM is regarded very highly. Literally all prayers, meditations, verses, and mantras contain this term. In fact, people even outside Hinduism recite it while doing meditation.

Please advise what is its significance in light f Krishna consciousness.

Regards
Vivek

Answer: Only For Those Fixed in the Mode of Goodness

Srila Prabhupada has very nicely described the significance of the syllable om in his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 9.14.48 as follows:

In Satya-yuga there was only one Veda, not four. Later, before the beginning of Kali-yuga, this one Veda, the Atharva Veda (or, some say, the Yajur Veda), was divided into four -- Sama, Yajur, Rg and Atharva -- for the facility of human society. In Satya-yuga the only mantra was omkara (om tat sat). The same name omkara is manifest in the mantra Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Unless one is a brahmana, one cannot utter omkara and get the desired result. But in Kali-yuga almost everyone is a sudra, unfit for pronouncing the pranava, omkara. Therefore the sastras have recommended the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Omkara is a mantra, or maha-mantra, and Hare Krishna is also a maha-mantra. The purpose of pronouncing omkara is to address the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva (om namo bhagavate vasudevaya). And the purpose of chanting the Hare Krishna mantra is the same. Hare: "O energy of the Lord!" Krishna: "O Lord Krishna!" Hare: "O energy of the Lord!" Rama: "O Supreme Lord, O supreme enjoyer!" The only worshipable Lord is Hari, who is the goal of the Vedas (vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]). By worshiping the demigods, one worships the different parts of the Lord, just as one might water the branches and twigs of a tree. But worshiping Narayana, the all-inclusive Supreme Personality of Godhead, is like pouring water on the root of the tree, thus supplying water to the trunk, branches, twigs, leaves and so on. In Satya-yuga people knew how to fulfill the necessities of life simply by worshiping Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The same purpose can be served in this age of Kali by the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra, as recommended in the Bhagavatam. Kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet [SB 12.3.51]. Simply by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, one becomes free from the bondage of material existence and thus becomes eligible to return home, back to Godhead.

From this purport of Srila Prabhupada we can understand that the chanting of Om is only effective for qualified brahmanas, those who are purely fixed in the mode of goodness. Since in this age of Kali we are all influenced to various degrees by the modes of passion and ignorance, the chanting of the Hare Krishna mahamantra instead of Om is essential for our deliverance from the cycle of birth and death.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari