Ultimate Self Realization

The essence of our existence is to be absorbed in loving service to Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Any attempt to find meaning and purpose in any other way is simply a mental concoction and will never satisfy us. Therefore we must learn from the bona fide spiritual master how to get back to full absorption in our original state of Krishna consciousness. Radha Vrindavan Chandra--ISKCON, Pune Video For the Day: Develop the Service Mood Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Can I Aspire to Have Krishna as My Lover? Dear Srila Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories unto your divine grace. I am asking these questions to make sure that I have the right understanding. This is a passage from The Science Of Self Realization, Chapter 8 "Attaining Perfection": "In unalloyed love of Godhead we have to engage our senses—sarvendriya, all the senses. This means that sex is also to be engaged in Krishna consciousness. The

It is the morning of 28 April 2016. In a little over an hour at 9am we are scheduled to leave Vrindavan. The hardest part of coming to Vrindavan is leaving Vrindavan. Because this is Krishna's abode here in this universe, Lord Sri Krishna is personally present here. Every particle of Vrindavan dust is non-different from Him. It is so easy to be Krishna conscious here just by reflecting on where you are. So why ever leave Vrindavan? It seems crazy to do so. But we are doing so because we have given the mission by our beloved spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, to make the world Krishna consciousness. Just as he left Vrindavan to make the world Krishna conscious, we are following in his footsteps. By embracing his order as our very life and soul we are living in Sri Vrindavan Dhama with Lord Sri Krishna at every minute, no matter where we may travel in this world for spreading the Krishna consciousness movement. Vrindavan on the Bank of the Sacred Yamuna River Video For the Da

The secret of spiritual success is to be unflinchingly dedicated to carrying out the orders given to you by your spiritual master. Sometimes the neophyte finds difficulty to do this and pleads, "Srila Gurudeva, please have mercy," as if the spiritual master is not being merciful and has to be trained by the disciple how to be merciful. Of course, this is foolishness because the order of the spiritual master is his mercy. So instead of begging the spiritual master to be merciful, the disciple should be begging, "Srila Gurudeva, please bless me that I can successfully follow your instructions." Srila Prabhupada Instructs His Disciples Video For the Day: Back to Your Original Identity Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Serve Krishna in Spiritual Body? Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I have difficulties in understanding some points. Could you please answer my questions? #1: By what means service to Krishna i

There is nothing that bewilders the living being more than sex desire because this nasty business of sex attraction pulls him down into complete total absorption in the bodily conception of being a man desiring a woman or a woman desiring a man. In other words, sex desire completely locks him into the material energy. The key that unlocks him from this prison cell is to revive his sense of spiritual identify, completely beyond his material body as the eternal servant of Krishna, by engaging himself practically in devotional service 24 hours of day under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master. In this way he experiences a taste that is so sweet, wonderful, and sublime that sex desire is seen by him as tantamount to eating stool. In this way he becomes solidly situated on the transcendental platform never to be carried away by sex desire ever again. Give Up Illicit Sex and Enter Krishna's Pastimes Video For the Day: Tune In, Turn On, and Bliss Out! Answers by Citin

Srila Prabhupada explains as follows in his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 3.25.8: "The disciple or conditioned soul is put into this darkest region of ignorance and therefore is entangled in the material existence of sense gratification. It is very difficult to get out of this entanglement and attain freedom, but if one is fortunate enough to get the association of a spiritual master like Kapila Muni or His representative, then by his grace one can be delivered from the mire of ignorance. The spiritual master is therefore worshiped as one who delivers the disciple from the mire of ignorance with the light of the torch of knowledge. The word paragam is very significant. paragam refers to one who can take the disciple to the other side. This side is conditioned life; the other side is the life of freedom. The spiritual master takes the disciple to the other side by opening his eyes with knowledge. We are suffering simply because of ignorance. By the instruction of the spiritual mast

In the beginning of the pathway of Krishna consciousness the devotee's remembrance of Krishna is intermittent, not continuous. But as he advances along this sublime pathway, his taste for Krishna consciousness naturally increases. Because of this increasing taste, which goes on expanding more and more along with a natural decrease of his taste for material sense gratification, his Krishna conscious becomes gradually less and less intermittent until finally he reaches the perfectional stage of continuous remembrance of Krishna for all of eternity. No One Is More Wonderful Than Krishna Video For the Day: Most Glorious River Yamuna Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: How to Please Srila Prabhupada? I have never met Srila Prabhupada, but I feel very indebted to him since he has saved me and all of us. What is the best way to please Srila Prabhupada, and how may I, someone insignificant, get his blessings to go back home, back to our dear Lord Sri Krishna? K. Pat

The devotee is not at all afraid of death because he knows absolutely that he will never die. He simply goes on serving Krishna in all circumstances. It is does matter to him whether he serves Krishna in his present body or in another body. Therefore he is completely detached from all material things. All he cares about is serving Krishna, and that he does continuously in great delight in ever-expanding bliss for all of eternity. Srimad Bhagavatam Lecture--Vrindavan, India--23 April 2016 Video For the Day: Unfathomable Mercy of Srila Prabhupada Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: How to Engage Sex Desire in Krishna's Service The living entity has sex desire because Krishna has sex desire. Of course, Krishna is perfectly using His sex desire, but for the conditioned living entity, this sex desire becomes a cause of bondage. For example, I have been practicing Krishna consciousness for over 12 years, but I still see my eye drawn to a scantily clad woman or a

The gopis were in great distress when Krishna left Vrindavan. After Krishna went to Dvaraka, Lord Balarama kindly returned to Vrindavan to relieve the distress of the gopis and the other Brijabasis. This is described by Srila Prabhupada as follows in the Krishna book: "Lord Balarama, of course, could understand the ecstatic feelings of the gopis, and therefore He wanted to pacify them. He was expert in presenting an appeal, and thus, treating the gopis very respectfully, He began to narrate the stories of Krishna so tactfully that the gopis became satisfied. To keep the gopis in Vrndavana satisfied, Lord Balarama stayed there continuously for two months, namely the months of Caitra (March–April) and Vaisakha (April–May). For those two months He kept Himself among the gopis, and He passed every night with them in the forest of Vrindavan to satisfy their desire for conjugal love. Thus Balarama also enjoyed the rasa dance with the gopis during those two months. Since the season wa

On 18 December 1973 in Los Angeles while giving a lecture on the Srimad Bhagavatam Srila Prabhupada explained as follows: "Because we have taken Krishna's shelter, Krishna says sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam [Bhagavad-gita 18.66]. He will give guidance. If you follow perfectly, you surrender unto Him, He will guide you. He is within you, everyone. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bhagavad-gita 18.61]. He is there. He is not far away, although He lives in His own abode, Goloka Vrndavana. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah [Brahma-samhita 5.37]. That is Krishna. Although He is in His abode, but He is everywhere. Here is Krishna. Although He is living in Goloka Vrindavana, He is in this temple, He is within our heart. Simply we have to take advantage, how He is present, how He is advising. That is the technique. That is Krishna consciousness movement. God is everywhere. He is prepared to guide you. He is prepared to help you. Because He is father

The final verse of the song Sri Nama by Bhaktivinoda Thakura is as follows: "Your life may end at any moment, and you have not served the Lord of the senses, Hrisikesa. Take this advice of Bhaktivinoda Thakura: 'Just once, relish the nectar of the holy name!'' Just as we relish and are nourished by eating some nicely prepared food, in a similar way we should relish and take spiritual nourishment from the unlimitedly relishable holy name of Lord Sri Krishna. Srila Prabhupada Relishes the Holy Name Video For the Day: Just Learn How to Relish Krishna's Name Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Balance Opulence and Simple Living? The Lord wants opulence, and we're meant to take His remnants. But we're meant to live simply. So how do we balance? Tom Answer: Engage Everything in Krishna's Service We do not reject material opulence if it can be engaged in Krishna’s service. Sankarshan Das Adhikari

In this material world people hanker for so many thousands and millions of types of material pleasures. And in spite of enjoying in so many multi-varieties of ways, they are still not satisfied. What they don't realize is that if they will simply take to the devotional service of the Lord they will achieve a standard of happiness that is absolutely beyond any type of enjoyment that can be tasted by anyone anywhere. Because we want that everyone should become truly happy we have fully dedicated our lives for awakening the dormant Krishna consciousness that is presently sleeping within their hearts. As Srila Prabhupada so profoundly explains, Krishna consciousness is not an artificial imposition on the mind. It is the original, natural energy of the living being. Blissful Devotees in Salvador, Brazil Video For the Day: Regain Your Original Identity Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: From a Ten Years Old Boy Sri Guruji, I had a personal question for you. Ho

Don't let your mind drag you away from Krishna. You've achieved this rare human birth after millions of lifetimes. So now kindly use it properly by fully engaging yourself in Krishna consciousness. This is real intelligence. Anything else is sheer ignorance. There Is Truly No One More Amazing than Krishna Video For the Day: Krishnize the Whole World Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Why Am I Not Satisfied? Although there is a lot of great stuff happening around me in Krishna Consciousness, which should give me a lot of happiness and satisfaction, still somehow I am not satisfied. I keep feeling that there is something missing. Am I being too much concerned about the result rather than focusing on the service? Or is it that my effort are not pure enough to please my dear Lord Krishna? Please help me! Your Servant, S.M. Answer: You Are Serving Yourself Instead of Krishna If you are not satisfied while serving, this means that you not devoting y

Srila Prabhupada wonderfully describes in his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 3.1.24 the devotees who are searching for Krishna in Vrindavan: "The tract of land comprising about one hundred square miles from modern Delhi to the Mathura district in Uttar Pradesh, including a portion of the Gurgaon district in Punjab (East India), is considered to be the topmost place of pilgrimage in all of India. This land is sacred because Lord Krishna traveled through it many times. From the very beginning of His appearance, He was at Mathura in the house of His maternal uncle Kamsa, and He was reared by His foster father Maharaja Nanda at Vrindavan. There are still many devotees of the Lord lingering there in ecstasy in search of Krishna and His childhood associates, the gopis. It is not that such devotees meet Krishna face to face in that tract of land, but a devotee's eagerly searching after Krishna is as good as his seeing Him personally. How this is so cannot be explained, but it is factu

Srila Prabhupada wonderfully describes the glories of a sadhu: "A sadhu..is a devotee of the Lord. His concern, therefore, is to enlighten people in devotional service; that is his mercy. He knows that without devotional service, human life is spoiled. A devotee travels all over the country, from door to door, preaching, 'Be Krishna conscious. Be a devotee of Lord Krishna. Don't spoil your life in simply fulfilling your animal propensities. Human life is meant for self-realization, or Krishna consciousness.' These are the preachings of a sadhu. He is not satisfied with his own liberation. He always thinks about others. He is the most compassionate personality toward all fallen souls. One of his qualifications, therefore, is karunika, great mercy to the fallen souls. While engaged in preaching work, he has to meet with so many opposing elements, and therefore the sadhu has to be very tolerant. Someone may ill-treat him because the conditioned souls are not prepared to

The whole world is suffering in a nightmarish, hellish state of bodily consciousness. Everyone is misidentifying themselves with their material bodies, falsely considering the temporary material body, which is nothing but a garment or a covering being worn by the real self within, to be the actual self. Every problem being faced by the modern day world society is simply due to this ignorance of what is the actual self. Therefore the entire world is simply waiting for that day when it can be awakened from this artificial state of misery and brought back to the original natural position of eternity, knowledge, and bliss. It is our wonderful duty to wake them up in order to relieve them from their unlimited ocean of unnecessary suffering. Lord Caitanya Is Arousing Everyone Video For the Day: Importance of Devotee Association Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: How to Get Results from Chanting? I am still confused and deluded. I chant continuously, but without any r

Today here in Vrindavan is the appearance day of Lord Ramacandra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His appearance is described in Srimad Bhagavatam 9.10.2: "Being prayed for by the demigods, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth Himself, directly appeared with His expansion and expansions of the expansion. Their holy names were Rama, Laksmana, Bharata and Satrughna. These celebrated incarnations thus appeared in four forms as the sons of Maharaja Dasaratha." For this verse Srila Prabhupada has written the following purport: "Lord Ramacandra and His brothers, Laksmana, Bharata and Satrughna, are all visnu-tattva, not jiva-tattva. The Supreme Personality of Godhead expands into many, many forms. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs. 5.33]. Although they are one and the same, visnu-tattva has many forms and incarnations. As confirmed in the Brahma-samhita (5.39), ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan. The Lord is situated in many forms, such as Rama,

The most important talent that an aspiring devotee must develop is the ability to properly take instructions. Often the neophyte devotee is instructed to do something but only hears the instruction half way, thus failing to properly execute what he has been told to do. And then even when he is corrected for his mistake he foolishly thinks that he is being wrongly corrected. This tendency to not be able to properly take instructions is due to false pride. Therefore we must always remember, as Lord Caitanya is teaching us, to always considers ourselves lower than the straw in the street and to always be more tolerant than a tree. In this mood we will be able to take instructions properly and advance steadily on the pathway of pure devotion. Disciples Carefully Hear Srila Prabhupada's Instructions Video For the Day: Engage Everything in Krishna's Service Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Wrong to Pray to God for Your Bread? Dear Gurudeva, I have learne

As soon as you embrace the world deliverance mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as your very life and soul, depression will never torture you ever again. How is it so easy to conquer over depression? This is because depression is solely and wholly due to self-centeredness. Such self-centeredness can never satisfy the self because it is artificial. The self is not the center of the universe. Rather it is Krishna, or God, who is actual center of all existence. So as soon as you put Krishna back in the center as taught by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, you will be amazed to see how depression immediately flies away from your heart never to return again. Blissful Devotees in Kaliningrad, Russia Video For the Day: On a Mission to Deliver the Universe Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Achieve Goloka Without Initiation? If a devotee has accepted a living guru in his heart as his spiritual master and is willing to take diksha (initiation) from him, but is not able to get di

Because every living being, although they don't realize it, is the eternal servant of Krishna, and because of the extraordinary mercy of Lord Caitanya to deliver all the fallen souls of this Kali yuga, there will come a time in the future when Hare Krishna will factually becomes the world religion. So let us all work sincerely and enthusiastically to bring that day as soon as possible to our modern troubled world. There is indeed no other solution for the problems of the world than Krishna consciousness. Srimad Bhagavatam Lecture--10 April 2016--Vrindavana, India Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: How to Increase Firm Faith in Guru? How can we increase our guru nishtha, firm faith in our spiritual master, and what's the parameter to check whether it's increasing or not? Can you please explain it to me? I'm indebted to you for the time you spare for answering my query. Thank You. your forever servant Bhavya Bhagavan Das Answer: Unflinchingly Follow

We have been slaves of maya or illusion for thousands and millions of lifetimes. In this state of servitude to the material energy we have never been satisfied. But yet, inspired by the false hope of enjoyment in the near future, we have continued serving maya just like a donkey who works hard all day by seeing a carrot dangling in front of him. It's time for us to wise up and stop running after the carrot of false material enjoyment. The unlimited happiness we desire is available for us immediately. All we have to do is give up our ridiculous endeavor to be God and surrender ourselves fully at the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krishna. The Donkey and the Carrot Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: How to Transcend the Three Modes? Srila Prabhupada writes that Krishna consciousness or bhakti is situated in the mode of pure goodness above the three modes of material nature. How can a neophyte devotee who is still under the influence of the three modes of material nature

The world desperately needs a spiritual revolution now more than ever because indeed a spiritual revolution is the only solution now for the ever-increasing quagmire of insurmountable difficulties that are now besieging and engulfing planet earth. Therefore may all concerned men and women throughout the world now unite into the one common cause of bringing the entire global society back to its original state of enlightened consciousness in perfect harmony with the very source of all existence, Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Krishna Consciousness Movement Will Save the World Srila Prabhupada Launches It in New York City Tompkins Square Park--1965. Video For the Day: Spiritual Revolution Required Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Our Minds Delude Us Are or are not our minds being trained to see if we are progressing in Krishna consciousness? I am wondering this because the mind sometimes allures us to forget Krishna. If we do not have determina

Don't waste a single moment thinking, speaking, or doing anything which is not Krishna conscious. Such frivolities will do nothing but make you miserable. So why would any intelligent person consciously do something that would make him miserable? He would not. Therefore do not be a fool. Don't ever leave any gaps for maya or illusion in your 24 hours a day. Prabhupada Never Leaves Any Gaps for Maya He's Always Fully Engaged in Krishna Consciousness Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Is Everything Predestined? I have a doubt, and I don’t find anyone more qualified than you to clear my doubts well supported by scriptures. My question is: Is everything predestined in this universe including our karma? I recall the curse given to Jaya and Vijaya (doorkeepers of Lord Vishnu) by the four Kumaras that they would get demon bodies in their next three births. Since this happened as predicted, why should we criticize Jaya and Vijaya for their sinful activities in

We have finally arrived back in Lord Sri Krishna's transcendental abode, Sri Vrindavan Dhama, so mercifully manifested here in this material world. It is not possible to enter Vrindavan simply by flying to New Delhi and taking a taxi to Vrindavan. The only way to really enter Vrindavan is in the mood of a pilgrim. Therefore as we were approaching Vrindavan I sang the following bhajan, which we have first heard from Srila Prabhupada: jaya rādhe, jaya kṛṣṇa, jaya vṛndāvan śrī govinda, gopīnātha, madana-mohan "All glories to Radha and Krishna and the divine forest of Vrindavan. All glories to the three presiding Deities of Vrindavan-Sri Govinda, Gopinatha, and Madana-mohana." śyama-kunḍa, rādhā-kuṇḍa, giri-govardhan kālindi jamunā jaya, jaya mahāvan "All glories to Syama-kunda, Radha-kunda, Govardhana Hill, and the Yamuna River (Kalindi). All glories to the great forest known as Mahavana, where Krishna and Balarama displayed all of Their childhood pastimes." keśī-

Now more than ever before the world society needs Krishna because without Krishna consciousness whatever is left of the human society is rapidly disintegrating more and more with each passing day. Krishna is indeed the center of all existence. Therefore when we are connected with Krishna we are connected with the ultimate existential powerhouse and everything runs very smoothly. And as soon as we disconnect from Krishna ever-increasing chaos ensues. Harinam Sankirtan in Germany Video For the Day: Fearless at the Time of Death Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Looking for a Spiritual Master I am looking for a spiritual master to guide me because I would like to do more work with Krishna Consciousness. I thank you for any assistance you can give me and look forward to hearing from you soon. Yours sincerely, Kathiresan Answer: Follow These Guidelines I am very happy that you are looking for a spiritual master to guide you how to increase your Krishna consciousn

Soon we will be in Vrindavan, the most amazing transcendental abode of Lord Krishna, which He so mercifully manifests here in this material world for His enjoyment and our benefit. Regarding this holiest of all places Srila Prabhupada stated as follows in a lecture given in Vrindavan on 17 September 1975: "Just like we are in Vrindavana-dhama. So why Vrindavana-dhama is worshiped? Because the Vrindavana-dhama is not different from Krishna. When you take little dust of Vrindavana-dhama and take it, that means you are taking the dust of Krishna's lotus feet, and you take it. Vrindavana-dhama, so important." Vrindavan, India on the River Yamuna Video For the Day: The Wonderful Heart of a Vaisnava Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Why Are We Affected When Someone Dies? Dear Srila Gurudeva, In Bhagavad-gita Chapter 2 Lord Krishna explains about the transmigration of the soul, which makes its clear that we are not this body, that we are instead the sp

Recently one of our subscribers dropped out of our e-course stating, "Search for what is within is best carried out in silence." But it has been revealed by great spiritual authorities, who have realized the highest truth, that the greatest silence of all is the topics of Krishna. Therefore it is better to talk about Krishna than to not talk at all. If our subscriber was true to his philosophy, he would not have broken silence to tell me that silence is better. When I wrote to him explaining this he thanked me. It is our duty to free people from the misconceptions that keep them locked up in the cycle of birth and death. Ecstatic Question and Answer Session Copenhagen, Denmark--3 April 2016 Video For the Day: Devotee Association: The Greatest Treasure Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Bodily Maintenance for Krishna? Hare Krishna Dear Srila Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances. I ponder upon two questions daily which I have yet to understan