Giving Krishna to a Flight Attendant

Shortly before we landed in London an American Airlines flight attendant asked me where I am from. I told her that I am from Austin and that I am engaged in a mission of trying to solve all of the problems of the world by bringing it back to its original pure state of God consciousness. She expressed her appreciation of this and asked me, "How did you get into this?" I told her that forty-four years ago back in 1971 I was a singer-songwriter trying to write songs that would bring a spiritual revolution to Planet Earth. Not being able to do so I prayed for guidance and was blessed by God with a bona fide spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who has the formula and is practically engaged in spearheading the greatest paradigm shift in world history. Seeing her interest I then gave her a flyer advertising our Ultimate Self Realization e-course and I encouraged her to sign up for the course. As I got off the plane she was standing by the door. I told her, "Make sure to sign up for the e-course." And she assured me, "Yes, I will."

Srila Prabhupada--World's Greatest Spiritual Revolutionary

Artist's Concept of Our Completed Project in Austin, Texas USA

$42,535.17 collected with $2,457,464.83 still to go.
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Answers by Citing the Vedic Version:

Question: Can a Conditioned Soul Have His Own Opinion?

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I heard that a personality is made of many individual desires. How does the individuality of the devotee manifest since he is living according to the instructions and desires of other devotees and Krishna?

I understand that a fully surrendered devotee has a spiritual intelligence and can have opinions since he has his individual relationship with Krishna in one of the five Rasas. But can a conditioned soul have his opinion if he is conditioned by his mind? Is it a right argument that a conditioned soul can have his opinion, which is in agreement with Krishna’s opinion, when he has realized the words of Krishna and understands what is he agreeing with? Arjuna and Sanjay were self-realized souls but what is the position of the conditioned souls? What is the proper understanding of surrendering to Krishna and following Him for a devotee who is conditioned by the modes of nature and has material desires? What is his individuality in Krishna Consciousness movement?

Your servant,
Gintare

Answer: His Opinions Are Dictated by the Modes of Nature

It is not that a person is made of many individual desires. Each person in all of existence is a manifestation of Krishna’s desire to taste a certain unique type of flavor or rasa in a loving reciprocal relationship with particular devotee. Just as no two snowflakes are alike, so also no two persons in all of existence are alike. Everyone is fully unique.

Here are your additional questions with answers:

Question: But can a conditioned soul have his opinion if he is conditioned by his mind?

Answer: His opinions are not really his own opinions. They are dictated to him the three modes of material nature.

Question: Is it a right argument that a conditioned soul can have his opinion, which is in agreement with Krishna’s opinion, when he has realized the words of Krishna and understands what is he agreeing with?

Answer: When someone fully realizes the import of Krishna’s words and agrees with Krishna he is no longer a conditioned soul. He is now a liberated soul.

Question: Arjuna and Sanjay were self-realized souls. But what is the position of the conditioned souls?

Answer: Since the opinions of the conditioned souls are being dictated to them by the three modes of material nature, they are not really their own opinions.

Question: What is the proper understanding of surrendering to Krishna and following Him for a devotee who is conditioned by the modes of nature and has material desires?

Answer: If you will fully surrender yourself in submissive service to Lord Sri Krishna by following His instruction to serve the bona spiritual master, you are no longer under the conditioning influence of the modes of nature. You are now a liberated soul.

Question: What is his individuality in the Krishna Consciousness movement?

Answer: Every devotee has his own unique relationship with Krishna and with his spiritual master. Just like I have many students, and you are one of them. But I see that all of my students there is no one else like you. You are a completely unique individual. And the more you serve Guru and Krishna with love, the more your original unique personality will become manifested.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari