Ultimate Self Realization

Our dearmost Lord Sri Krishna, we are greatly disturbed to see a world around us which has so totally lost its connection with you. The world population has been grossly misguided and dragged down to the level of animals in their consciousness and in their behavior. This means that in their next life these poor souls will take birth as animals. We know that it is our duty to somehow or other save them by bringing them to Krishna consciousness. But due to our own lack of Krishna consciousness we find ourselves quite unfit to do so. Therefore we humbly beg for your mercy that we can become fully pure in devotion to you and that we may become empowered to attract the entire world population to join this Krishna consciousness movement. When that glorious day comes the entire world population will be peaceful, happy, and prosperous. This will be the full blown manifestation of the golden era of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. His most soothing moon-like mercy bestowing the greatest benediction of ...

Sometimes, more often that we would prefer, in this material world we are overwhelmed by great difficulties, devastating, turbulent, severely trying times. There is no reason to succumb to frustration and depression when such negative situations smack us in the face. All we really have to do to remain calm and joyful in such times is to dive deeper into the sublime ocean of Krishna consciousness where life is eternal, full of knowledge, and full of bliss, and then everything will be okay. In a hurricane the surface of the ocean is very disturbed. But if one dives deep below the surface of the ocean, he will discover that it is completely calm, beautiful, and peaceful down there. So if the devotee who is tortured by bad times will simply become more absorbed, diving deeply into the sublime ocean of Krishna consciousness by hearing, chanting, remembering, serving, etc. with increased intensity and devotion, he will find that all of his anxieties go millions and billions of miles away. Sa...

In this Krishna consciousness movement we have two goals: We want to attract Krishna by developing pure love for Him within our hearts, and we want to attract the entire world to become Krishna conscious in order to save them from the repetition of birth and death. These two goals complement each other because the more you awaken your love for Krishna, the more you become empowered to deliver others, and the more you preach for expanding this Krishna consciousness movement, the more your own Krishna consciousness becomes awakened. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Remembering Srila Prabhupada--Riga, Latvia--27 October 2014 Initiating Lila Bhakti Devi Dasi--Riga, Latvia--27 October 2014 Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: How Can I Serve You? Hare Krishna Srila Gurudeva, All Glories to Srila Prabhupada, What can I do to serve you? What would you please you the most? Sanjib Answer: Become Pure and Save the Fallen Souls The best service you can render to me is ...

In this material world everyone is crazy to read, hear, or watch the latest news through newspapers, magazines, television, radio, and the internet. But in their delusion they do not realize that there is nothing really new in this material world. Everything that is going on here is at best nothing but the same old wine, although sometimes the bottle may be different. Therefore the devotee of the Lord has no interest in the ordinary tidings of this flickering material world, which he finds to be painfully boring. Although he has some awareness of the ordinary news to facilitate his execution of devotional service, his only real interest is the extraordinary news of Lord Krishna and His devotees, which triumphantly dominates all of existence by its sweet transcendental flavor. Sankarshan Das Adhikari There's Nothing More Blissful Than Talking About Krishna Sunday Feast Lecture--Riga, Latvia--26 October 2014 Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: How Could There Be...

Today is the disappearance day of our most beloved ISKCON Founder-Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He left this world on 14 November 1977 from his room at the Krishna-Balarama Mandir in Vrindavana, India surrounding by his loving disciples. The date is different from today's date on the solar calendar, but is the same date on the lunar calendar, the calendar by which we observe the various holy days throughout the year. On this fateful day in 1977 when the devotees throughout the ISKCON world got the shocking news that their dear Srila Prabhupada had departed they wept bitter tears of separation from their beloved spiritual master. By their intense tears of love they were connected with their dearmost Guru Maharaja within their hearts and thus solidly sheltered under his protection even while suffering his physical separation. I was engaged in devotional service in the kitchen of our ISKCON temple in Houston, Texas USA when my temple president, Laxmi ...

One of my disciples, Sanat Kumara Das from Malaysia, has written in his 2014 Vyas Puja homage to me: "My prayers to Lord Gauranga to prolong Srila Gurudeva's preaching mission for another 10,000 years and guide all the fallen souls to path of perfection." After reading his homage I was thinking, "What would it be like if Krishna did in fact keep me here in this material world (either in the same body or in a string of bodies) for the next 10,000 years to continue preaching until the entire world becomes Krishna conscious?" This would be an incredibly exciting experience to witness first hand how the entire world gradually comes to appreciate Srila Prabhupada's teachings as the guiding principle for the human society. But what about missing all those nectarean pastimes of Krishna that are going on in the spiritual world? The inundation of this material world with the tidal wave of Krishna consciousness is one of Krishna's most unlimitedly sublime pastim...

Srila Prabhupada states in his purport to Caitanya Caritamrita, Madhya 24.331: "As soon as a bona fide guru is received by chance or by a program, one should immediately take the opportunity to receive initiation." Why is this important? Srila Prabhupada explains further in his purport to Caitanya Caritamrita, Madhya 19.152 how the seed of pure devotional service (bhakti-lata-bija) is received from the bona fide spiritual master at the time of initiation. He explains how without this initiation that instead of devotion he will cultivate the seeds such as karma, jnana, politics and philanthropy: "This bhakti-lata-bija is received from the spiritual master by the grace of Krishna. Other seeds, called anyabhilasa-bija, include karma-bija and jnana-bija. If one is not fortunate enough to receive the bhakti-lata-bija from the spiritual master, he instead cultivates such seeds as karma-bija, jnana-bija, or political, social or philanthropic bijas. However, the bhakti-lat...

Your divine birthright is to enjoy an eternal youthful existence completely free from fear and anxiety in the transcendental kingdom of Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You are actually one of His intimate personal associates. But due to forgetfulness you are currently suffering like anything here in this pitifully forlorn material world. You are not meant to remain trapped here rotting in this distress mess. So please try to understand that your life should have one purpose and one purpose only, to get back to where you once belonged. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Krishna's Sublime Pastimes in Goloka Vrindavana Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: What is the Meaning of Initiation? What does it exactly mean to get initiated by a bona fide spiritual master? What happens after you get initiated? I was once told by someone that if you get initiated by a bona fide guru, then you also become a guru. Could you please clarify this for me and explain what it...

We are in the midst of a world crisis. The human civilization is globally on the verge of a complete, total breakdown. Because our civilization is based on a false conception of the self, that the self is the material body, our present materially based social structure is doomed to inevitably degrade into total chaos. Those who can see this coming do not have to be morose and hopeless because there is a solution for this nightmare. The solution is isavasya, the God-centered conception of existence. I am not speaking here of the God on any particular religion. I am referring to the God of all religions, the Supreme Person with unlimited names, who is providing all of us with all of our necessities at every minute. If we all put Him back in the center showing Him our gratitude for everything He is giving us, global peace and prosperity will be the immediate result. So now the challenge is how to convince everyone to do just that. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Planting the Seeds of Spiritual ...

On 20 October 2014 we traveled 213 kilometers from Kaunas in the interior of Lithuania to the coastal city of Klaipeda situated on the west coast of Lithuania on the Baltic Sea. We go to Klaipeda twice a year, and it is always really ecstatic. We always have super enlivening kirtans and the devotees there are very enthusiastic to hear and to inquire about this amazing liberating science of Krishna consciousness. I can't imagine any life more glorious and blissful than a life of Krishna consciousness. I pray that the entire world can now be awakened in Krishna consciousness. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Transcendental Bliss in Klaipeda, Lithuania--20 October 2014 Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: What Does a Soul Do After Moksha (Liberation)? Dear Master, Here are my few questions. Please provide some light to understand. What does a soul do after moksha (liberation)? Does the soul fall from God's Abode? If so, why does he fall? Is the universe created f...

Since we are not these bodies and this material world is not our real home, one who is on the pathway of spiritual progress is meant to completely renounce sex. However, since for most people it is not possible to come immediately to such a renounced position, facility is given for regulated sex within married life. Regulated sex means that sex is only indulged in for the purpose of procreation and other than that is completely avoided. Such regulated sex according to the directions of the scriptures and great spiritual authorities is most auspicious and attracts highly qualified transcendentalists to take birth in such Krishna conscious families. Sometimes it is thought that those who have completely renounced sex--brahmacaris, vanaprasthas, and sannyasis--should have nothing to do with wedding ceremonies. But as shown by Srila Prabhupada's example of personally performing the wedding ceremony for his disciples, the members of the three celibate orders can attend wedding ceremoni...

The Sanskrit word dvija consists of two syllables. Dvi means twice, and ja means born. So dvija means twice-born: first birth by the father and mother, and second birth when one is initiated by the bona fide spiritual master. At second birth the spiritual master is the father and the Vedas are the mother. That is Vedic civilization. One must be born twice. The first birth by the father and mother is done by the cats of dogs also. So it is the second birth that distinguishes one as a human being. Being born once is not sufficient for realizing the purpose of the human form of life, to become self-realized and go back to home, back to Godhead. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Devotees Receive Initiation--Kaunas, Lithuania--18 October 2014 Bhakta Varady Gabor Becomes Vamanadeva Das Bhakta Arminas Becomes Atma-Medhah Das Bhakta Indrek Becomes Isvara-Parama Das Bhaktin Justina Becomes Jahnava Devi Dasi Bhaktin Kristina Becomes Krishnamayi Devi Dasi Bhaktin Goda Becomes Gau...

Of all the senses the tongue is the most voracious and uncontrollable. It is very difficult to conquer over the tongue in this world. So, if you want to be solidly fixed on the transcendental platform of Krishna consciousness in order to become delivered from vicious cycle of birth and death, you must bring your tongue under control by only taking Krishna prasadam as your food and by only engaging your tongue in speaking the glories of Krishna. If the tongue is not properly engaged in this way, you will become polluted and dragged down into the animal kingdom in your next birth. This may sound very difficult to accomplish. But actually it is quite easy because there is nothing more stimulating and enlivening than talking about Krishna and tasting the remnants of those foods that have been offered to Him with love and devotion. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Control Your Tongue By Honoring Krishna Prasadam Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: What To Do With Feelings of Sep...

If you want to be a devotee of Krishna, you must first become the devotee of the devotees of Krishna, otherwise He will not accept that you are devoted to Him. From Srimad Bhagavatam 9.4.68 we can understand why it is like this: sādhavo hṛdayaṁ mahyaṁ sādhūnāṁ hṛdayaṁ tv aham mad-anyat te na jānanti nāhaṁ tebhyo manāg api "My devotees are always in My heart, and I am always in the heart of My devotees. My devotees do not know anything else but Me, and I do not know anyone else but them." Just see how dear the devotees are to Krishna. Therefore if you neglect them and try to approach Krishna, He will neglect you. But when you please them by loving service, Krishna is exceedingly pleased with you and showers His unlimited blessings upon you. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Lecture at Anantara Center--Kaunas, Lithuania--16 October 2014 Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Is Material Pleasure False or Real? Dear Guru Maharaja, Please accept my humble obeis...

In this material world we often face extremely stressful reverse situations. How we handle these disturbances can either make or break our advancement in Krishna consciousness. If we become bewildered and angry in such circumstances, we have come down to the material platform of hankering and lamentation in which we become completely forgetful of Krishna. However, if we take these awkward, unpleasant situations for what they really are, excellent training exercises to help us become prepared for the time of death, we will not be bewildered or confused. We will be able to keep a cool head and strengthen our attachment to Krishna by realizing more than ever before that there is no shelter in this material world, that our only real shelter is Krishna. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Bhagavad-gita Lecture--Vilnius, Lithuania--15 October 2014 Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Why Chanting on 108 Beads? Whenever I just touch my japa chanting beads, I feel a blessing, a sort...

If one is situated above the clouds of illusion, his life is beautiful and all blissful. But if situated within the clouds of illusion, one's life is ugly and miserable. It is your choice whether you want to be in illusion or beyond illusion. Just as on an airplane you can fly higher and higher until you penetrate beyond the clouds, the Hare Krishna mahamantra if chanted with love, will take you beyond all suffering and illusion into the pure spiritual realm of unlimited happiness.  Sankarshan Das Adhikari Flying Within the Clouds Flying Above the Clouds Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: What's It Like in Goloka Vrindavana? I suppose we have been in this material world for an infinite number of years. After becoming cent per cent Krishna conscious and returning back home, what will be the feeling of meeting all our relatives in the spiritual world? Is it like hugging them, getting excited, astonishment, being overjoyous, and remembering our past ...

After relishing the sweet mellows of Krishna's most powerful divine presence for some time in Sri Vrindavana Dhama, a devotee who then leaves Vrindavana for serving the Lord outside the holy precincts of Vrindavan naturally feels some aching in his heart. Being in Vrindavan is truly a mystical experience because, as Srila Prabhupada points out, the dust of Vrindavan is the dust of Krishna's lotus feet. Mercifully Vrindavana is a very dusty place. Krishna's foot dust is everywhere. Indeed, it is even in the air. Therefore simply by breathing in Vrindavana one is in direct touch with Lord Sri Krishna's lotus feet. The pain of being separated from Vrindavana is mitigated or made less severe by the mercy of Lord Sri Krishna, who mercifully agrees to travel with His devotee wherever he may wander within the three worlds for spreading Krishna's glories. How does that amazing all-attractive person travel with His devotee? He is present within the heart of His devotee, and...

Are you as miserable as hell from what you are going through in this material world? If so, do not lament. Instead you should count your blessings that you can use your present miserable state to realize that this material world is a hopeless, unbearable quagmire, in which you are forced to endure miseries repeatedly birth after birth after birth. Instead of crying use your present suffering as a springboard to catapult yourself into the realm of unlimited spiritual bliss, where life is eternal and ever-increasingly ecstatic with full cognizance. In this way you can make the best use of a bad bargain and become one of the most successful people in the history of this universe. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Use Your Misery to Transfer Yourself Into Krishnaloka Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: How to Bear Punishment for Two Abortions? I wanted to confess you some sins I committed out of ignorance. Gurudeva, I have gotten two abortions done in the past. I feel very sor...

12 October 2014--We are back now in Pune for a brief stopover before heading out to Lithuania. It is indeed very enlivening to see such an enthusaistic community of hundreds of brahmacaris and thousands of householders so ecstatically absorbed in Krishna consciousness. We pray for that day when the whole world become engagd in Krishna consciousness and all of its wars and other devatasting problems will be over. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Teaching the Science of Krishna Bhakti ISKCON New Vedic Culture Center--Pune, India 12 October 2014 Beautiful Temple Room The Devotees Are Very Sincere Students of Bhakti They Have A Good Sense of Humor Also Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: How to Concentrate One's Mind on Krishna? Why do human beings tend to have unrealistic view of situations (illusion, make mistakes, cheating, imperfect senses) whereas as per AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's philosophy, one should turn to Krishna for answers? How ...

Always trust Krishna because He will never let you down. He is your best friend, your ever well-wisher, and the supreme controller. He is absolutely reliable in all times, places, and circumstances. The only difficulty is that we don't trust Him. We think that we have a better than He does for what is in our best interest. Because of this foolishness we suffer in so many ways birth after birth, but all of our troubles will end when we again put our full faith in Krishna. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Beautiful Krishna in Sri Vrindavana Dhama Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Do the Demigods Grant Material Benefits? As per the scriptures there are a number of demigods, and they represent Supreme God Krishna. My question is that when we pray to a demigod for some material benefits will it be granted by the demigod alone, or it will be granted under the control of Lord Krishna? Geetha R. Answer: All Benedictions Come From Krishna Since all benedictions com...

Lord Caitanya's sankirtana movement is the only movement in the world that has the potency to bring the entire human society into one peaceful, loving, happy spiritual family. This movement can indeed amazingly bring everyone together through the power of the congregational chanting of the holy names of God. Therefore it is the duty of the members of this movement to fully dedicate their lives for doing everything possible to win the participation of everyone on this planet in this most glorious movement as soon as possible. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Super Ecstatic Hare Krishna Kirtan in Bulgaria Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Difference Between Our Love Affairs and Krishna's What is the main difference between the love affair of Sri Radha and Krishna and the love affairs of today's material world. The love affair of Radha and Krishna is respected all over the world whereas today's affairs are mostly uncertain. So what can be the reason behind it...

Even though Krishna leaves Vrindavan to go to Mathura to kill Kamsa and then eventually settles in Dvaraka, the revealed scriptures tell us that Krishna actually never leaves Vrindavana. kṛṣṇo 'nyo yadu-sambhūto yaḥ pūrṇaḥ so 'sty ataḥ paraḥ vṛndāvanaṁ parityajya sa kvacin naiva gacchati "The Krishna known as Yadukumara is Vasudeva Krishna. He is different from the Krishna who is the son of Nanda Maharaja. Yadukumara Krishna manifests His pastimes in the cities of Mathura and Dvaraka, but Krishna the son of Nanda Maharaja never at any time leaves Vrindavana."--Caitanya Caritamrita, Antya 1.67 So it is actually only the expansion of Krishna, Vasudeva Krishna, who leaves Vrindavan. Krishna in his original form of Nanda Kumara remains eternally captured in the hearts of the Vrajavasis who keep Krishna forever in Vrindavana. Today we are leaving, Vrindavana, the best place in the universe. But how can we leave? We actually cannot leave, because our hearts are alw...

Tonight here in Vrindavan on 8 October 2014 we are blessed with a full moon on the first day of autumn and the first day of the most auspicious month of Kartika. This is the night that Krishna called the gopis damsels to dance the rasa dance with Him in the Vrindavana forest. Glancing up at the Vrindavan sky through the trees I am enlivened to see the full moon brilliantly resplendent in the wondrous sky of this holiest of all abodes. I am reminded of this wonderful passage from Srila Prabhupada's book, The Nectar of Devotion: "Krishna was very expert in dealing with people according to circumstances, country, time and paraphernalia. How He could take advantage of a particular time, circumstance and person is expressed by Him while talking to Uddhava about His rasa dance with the gopis. He says, 'The most opportune time is the full-moon night in autumn, like tonight. The best place within the universe is Vrindavana, and the most beautiful girls are the gopis. So, My dear ...

There is no bliss that even comes close to being remotely similar to the bliss of Krishna consciousness. Krishna consciousness means to relish the sweet mellows of loving devotional service to Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If understood correctly, there is actually no bliss anywhere in all of existence except for the bliss of Krishna consciousness. All other types of bliss are but mere shadows of this bliss. They are not the real thing. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Super Blissful Hare Krishna Devotee Dance and Chant in Ecstasy Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Why Can't We See Krishna? Kindly advise me how to obtain Lord Krishna's mercy. Why cant we see Him and talk to Him? Why do we have to suffer?. Your humble servant, Geeta V. Answer: Our Enjoying Mood Obstructs Our Vision Even though Krishna is fully present, due to our desire to enjoy separately from Him we cannot see Him, and we are suffering like anything in the cycle...

In this material world everyone is interested to check out the latest news in the newspaper or on the internet. This is the pleasure pastime of the crows. Just as crows are attracted to heaps of garbage, the crow class of men is drawn to the flickering mundane topics of this world of birth and death. But the devotees of the Lord are birds of a different feather. They are swans. While the crows are attracted to garbage topics of material sense gratification, the swans are attracted to beautiful pristine lotus lake topics of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His eternal associates, which bestow immortality upon those who speak them and hear them. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Crows Are Attracted to Garbage Swans Are Attracted to Beautiful Lakes With Lotus Flowers Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Should I Go to the Senior Prom? Hare Krishna! Since I'm in high school, there will be events coming up such as the senior prom. So should I not go to the prom o...