Ultimate Self Realization

In former times, before the advent of the age of Kali 5,000 years ago, the entire planet earth was India. In other words, Vedic culture was all over the planet earth. What is now Delhi was formally known as Hastinapura. Srila Prabhupada writes, "The king of Hastinapura (now Delhi) used to be the emperor of the world," There is profuse evidence to substantiate this. Therefore the spreading of the Krishna consciousness movement all over the world is not at all unnatural. It is simply restoring planet earth back to its original culture. Happy Devotees Chanting Hare Krishna Video For the Day: Krishna Consciousness is Essential Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Do I Have to Leave My Family? Hare Krishna! Srila Gurudeva, I have a question. I want to know that to attain prema bhakti (spiritual perfection) is it necessary that we have to leave my family, i.e. to become a celibate monk? Or we can attain pure love for Lord Krishna only by chanting his Ho

The other day a very nice gentleman named Duane asked me what religion I belong to. So what religion do I belong to? Factually I do not belong to any religion because I do not belong to any one particular religion. This is so because religion is one. There is no such thing as different religions. Religion means to reconnect with God through pure loving devotion. Anyone who does this is a perfect religionist. He's the best Hindu, the best Christian, the best Muslim, the best Jew, the best Buddhist, etc. He belongs to all religions. A Happy Krishna Conscious Family Video For the Day: More Tolerant Than a Tree  Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: What is a Spiritual Experience? Could you define a spiritual experience? Tom Answer: When You Remember Krishna Whenever you remember Krishna you are having a spiritual experience, and whenever you are not remembering Krishna all of your experiences are mundane. They are material. Sankarshan Das Adhikari

In the lower species--animals, plants, birds, fish, worms, and reptiles--there is no facility for self-realization because one is completely under the grip of the material modes of nature with no freedom to do anything beyond the impulses of those modes. The living entities in those species are simply puppets of maya or illusion with no freedom. Human life, however, is the greatest opportunity because it gives one the full freedom to come out from the grip of the material nature and become a fully self-realized being qualified to regain his eternal spiritual body in the transcendental world. Therefore those living beings who have attained the human form should take full advantage of their freedom. Otherwise by the action of the law of karma they will find themselves in one of the lower species in their next birth. Transmigration of the Soul to the Human Form Video For the Day: Awakening Your Divine Consciousness  Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: How to Overc

Our 26 May 2016 Thought for the Day was missing the proper link for Video for the Day. My thanks to Damodar Das, my disciple from Riga, Latvia, for bringing this to my attention. The proper link is given below. To watch the video you can either click on the link: https://youtu.be/lwx13VRZVwod or click on the photo below which promotes the video. 26 May 2016 World Peace Mission Video With the Correct Link Video For the Day: Getting One Drop of Pure Love of God  Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Report: I Am Not in Very Good Shape Srila Gurudeva, I am not in a very good shape. I am feeling very helpless in choosing proper words. Your insignificant servant Answer: Very Good Realization It is very good that you are realizing that you are not in very good shape. Material frustration is the greatest boon because it is a precondition for spiritual life. Without your feeling materially frustrated how would it be possible for you to embrace spiritual life? So it is wonder

Pure love is the essence of our existence. In the state of pure love one has unlimited happiness and awareness. This is the natural state of every living being. Unfortunately when we are born into this world of greed and selfishness, due to the debilitating influence of this impure atmosphere our pure love becomes gradually more and more covered over by self-centeredness and we are robbed of our original pristine state of unlimited happiness and awareness. Consequently we become more and more illusioned, bewildered, and miserable. The good news is that there are enlightened persons, who are fully awakened in pure love, and are ready, willing, and fully capable of guiding us how to regain our original natural consciousness. Such enlightened persons are known as bona fide spiritual masters, and they have the potency to bring us back to unlimited happiness and awareness. We simply have to take full advantage of them. I have had the unlimited good fortune of being trained by such a fully

I cannot imagine any life sweeter than what I am living right now. I have been blessed by my spiritual master with the formula for solving all the world's problems. Plus I have been give the complete freedom to do nothing but spend all of my time to teach and propagate this supreme knowledge to the entire humanity. What could be more fulfilling or more thrilling than this? Sankarshan Das Adhikari Meets With His Disciples Kaunas, Lithuania--22 May 2016 Vishnupriya Mataji Guides Devotees Vilnius, Lithuania Airport--24 May 2016 Video For the Day: Turn On Your Inner Consciousness  Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: How to Cry in Love of God? I heard that the great spiritual master Narottam Das Thakur used to cry in the ecstasy of separation from Lord Krishna while rolling on the ground. How can we get that mood? Eshwar Rao Answer: If You Can't Cry, Cry to Cry for Krishna. If you are not able to cry for Krishna, cry to cry for Krishna. And if you can’t

The whole world is off the track. I did not learn this from my parents. I learned this from my contemporaries during the protest era of the 60's in the USA. Check out any newspaper and you will easily see that the human society is becoming more and more fragmented and divisive with each passing day. However, from my spiritual master I learned how to fix the problem. When you go deep within, connecting with the ground of your existence, the Supreme Person, the maintainer and best friend of all living beings, you get back to sweetness, the joyfulness of existence, in spite of all the chaos that is exploding all around you. This is what the self-realization process is all about, to get back into a loving relationship with the Supreme Person, the source of al existence. Such connection with Krishna or God brings total, complete satisfaction to the self and will bring total peace and happiness to the entire human society in due course of time. Meet Krishna, Who Emanates Everything fro

There is no reason to continue sleeping in the nightmare of material unconsciousness when you can instead easily awaken your all blissful, all cognizant true self. The bona fide spiritual master will teach you how to do this. This is why the Vedic wisdom insists that everyone who desires to attain genuine happiness must take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master. Teaching Spiritual Bliss--Kaunas, Lithuania--22 May 2016 Video For the Day: Turn On Your Inner Consciousness  Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: How Can We Say Material World is a Nasty Place? How can we say that this material world is not a good place? It is good because here we can practice bhakti yoga and realize Krishna. Although there are no doubt many miseries here like birth, death, old age, and disease, because here we given the chance to revive our dormant Krishna consciousness, how we say that is a nasty place? Chetan Answer: This Depends on One's Perspective For the mass majority of

A Krishna conscious life is a never-ending adventure, in which one experiences newer and newer sweetness on a regular on-going basis. This can very roughly compared to a kid in a candy shop. When the world population wakes up and realizes how much nectar it is missing by not being Krishna conscious, the entire world will take to this process. May that day come soon. May that day come soon. Teaching Krishna Bhakti--21 May 2016--Vilnius, Lithuania Video For the Day: Prioritize Spiritual Awakening Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Difference Between Pious and Devotional Activities? Dear Srila Gurudeva, is there any difference between pious activities and devotional activities? Your worthless servant Vandana Answer: Material Rewards or Returning to the Spiritual World Pious activities are in the material mode of goodness. When you engage in pious activities you are obliged to take birth again in the material world to enjoy the good karmic results. For example, i

Don't remain asleep in the dark world of false identity. Wake up now to your actually identity and taste the highest bliss of being the eternal servant of the all-powerful, all-beautiful, all-renounced, all-wise, all-wealthy, and all-famous Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, who is eternally engaged along with His confidential associates in the most inconceivably thrilling pastimes in His personal abode in the spiritual sky, Goloka Vrindavan. Revealing Secrets of Bhakti--20 May 2016--Kaunas, Lithuania Video For the Day: Just Be Yourself  Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Searching for and Finding God? Hare Krishna, respected Gurudeva! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! Is it true that there is no difference between searching for God and finding Him? Your insignificant student, Brian Answer: There is a Gulf of Difference Just like there is a gulf of difference between looking for a job and having a job, there is also a gulf of difference bet

Devotional service to Krishna is a sweet, nectarean ocean of bliss, and the deeper you go, the sweeter it gets. Therefore those who are truly wise dive deeply into this ocean and continue diving deeper and deeper for all of eternity. This is what existence is really all about. Anything else is a state of virtual non-existence. Diving Deeply into the Ocean of Bhakti on 6th Street Devotees Chanting in Austin, Texas USA--2016 Video For the Day: Beauty of Existence Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Was Srila Prabhupada Poisoned? I heard that Srila Prabhupada was poisoned in 1977 by his disciples. Is this true? Eshwar Rao Answer: No This poisonous rumor that Srila Prabhupada was poisoned is unequivocally false. It was manufactured by a poisonous, envious pseudo devotee. In 1977 Srila Prabhupada was surrounded by loving disciples who did they everything they could to try to save him from a death that was caused by his drastically deteriorated health. Sankarshan

In an article entitled, "Another possible benefit of going to church: A 33 percent chance of living longer." by Julie Zauzmer published on 16 May 2016 on the website of the Washington Post, the following was stated: "A new study, released Monday in a journal published by the American Medical Association, says that those who attend church services more often actually have a better chance of staying alive in the long run. "Over a 20-year span, the study surveyed a group of more than 76,000 female nurses, most of whom were Catholic and Protestant. At the end of 20 years, more than 13,000 of them had died. The women who went to religious services more than once a week, it turned out, were 33 percent less likely to be in that group who died, compared to those who never attended services. "[Harvard medical school professor says ‘Miracles from Heaven’ and other remarkable cures could be real] "Tyler VanderWeele, a researcher at Harvard’s school of public health

You've got nothing to lose and everything to gain by seriously taking up this process of Krishna consciousness. So do yourself a favor. Don't remain a stagnant, miserable mess. Awaken your Krishna consciousness and experience the highest ecstasy at every minute. Come back to your original, eternal identity, which as been deeply buried in forgetfulness for millions of lifetimes. Simply be who you are, overflowing with love for the Supreme Lord and for all of His children. Bhagavad-gita Lecture--17 May 2016--Kaunas, Lithuania Video For the Day: Whole World Krishna Conscious Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Non-Brahmanas Given Transcendental Knowledge? Respected Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisance. Was the knowledge of science of God imparted to non caste brahmins in history before Lord Sri Chaitanya? Were other castes, even sudras allowed to learn revealed scriptures in ancient times? Thanks, Chenthil Answer: Yes Yes, they were. There is

It is not possible for us to measure the unlimited extent of our good fortune, that we have been given this greatest of all opportunities, to assist Lord Caitanya and the great Vaisnava acharyas in disseminating the Krishna consciousness movement for the deliverance of all the fallen souls within this universe. Such an opportunity is more auspicious than any material achievements, such as immense wealth, power, or fame. Therefore we should fully capitalize on our greatest fortune by fully absorbing our lives to delivering the fallen souls of this world. Lord Caitanya Inundates Our Universe with Krishna Bhakti Video For the Day: Intense Greed for Krishna Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Where is the Highest Bliss in Spiritual World? I read that Goloka, Ayodhya, Dwarka, Vaikuntha are spiritual worlds and that Goloka Vrindavan being the planet of Lord Krishna, in this planet, one experiences the highest bliss as compared to all other spiritual worlds. Is this t

The devotees in Kaliningrad, Russia are simply wonderful. To be with them for several days sharing the wonderful nectar of Krishna was certainly a most sublime treat. We had the most enlivening kirtans, well-attended lectures, and stimulating question and answer sessions. With loving exchanges as sweet as this you'd have to be crazy not to be a devotee of Krishna. Lecture in Kaliningrad, Russia--15 May 2016 Super Ecstatic Farewell Kirtan--Kaliningrad, Russia--14 May 2016 (Devotees are singing and dancing in the rain.) Video For the Day: World Deliverance Mission Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Will Congregational Chanting Solve Water Shortage? Dear Guru Maharaja, In the Bhagavad-gita the Supreme Lord Krishna states that timely and sufficient rains are produced by performance of yajna (sacrfice). As stated in the purport Srila Prabhupada states that the only yajna recommended for this age is sankirtan yajna, congregational chanting of the holy names

In a prayer to his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, Srila Prabhupada prays, "Save me, a fallen, Your Divine Grace." In this way he teaches us what is the proper mood that we should have about our position in spiritual life. We should always see how fallen we are and always beg our spiritual master to save us from our fallen position. It is only when we take this humble position of begging for our spiritual master's mercy that are protected from falling down. Lecture in Kaliningrad, Russia--14 May 2016 Video For the Day: Swanlike Devotees Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Puja to Get Wife and Money Can you suggest some puja that I can do to get wife and money? Chetan Answer: Get Out of this Nasty Place Even if you get wife and money you will still not be satisfied because this material world is not your actual home. Therefore give up your foolish desire and simply focus your life on awakening your dormant Krishna consci

Many people all over the world are desiring to be the opposite gender of either their female or male bodies. Because they are not satisfied with being either male or female, they consider that switching their gender will make them happy. But the sad reality is that even after reidentifying themselves as the opposite gender they are still not satisfied. So what's going on here? Transgenderism has become such a hot issue that now even US President Obama is attempting to satisfy the transgenderites by advocating the installation of transgender bathrooms throughout the United States. But this is not how a leader can give genuine happiness to his followers. We Krishna conscious persons can understand why someone is not satisfied by a sense of identify which is based on their material body, because this material body is not actually us. It is simply a costume that we are wearing for a certain allotted time until we change it according to the law of karma. So instead of futilely seeking

You are an eternal spiritual being full of unlimited bliss and cognizance. Therefore it would be utter foolishness for you to let maya or illusion bring you down from the realm of pure transcendental happiness to the realm of unlimited tortuous misery. But this is what the entire world population is currently doing. Therefore the Krishna consciousness movement has been started for the purpose of delivering the suffering humanity from its unnecessary entanglement in this realm of misery. Kindly take full advantage of this movement and come back to your original ever-ecstatic, all-knowing identity. You'll love it! Ecstatic Departure from Klaipeda, Lithuania--13 May 2016 Video For the Day: En Route to Russia Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: My Boss Asked Me to Read this Book Guru Maharaja, I need your guidance on this. The statement below is from a book, "Instant Motivation," which my boss asked me to read. "If self esteem is unconditional,

Conflict resolution is a hot topic in today's conflict-ridden world because conflict is torturing the human society on all levels: international, national, local, and familial. Many people talk about conflict resolution, but because no one knows what is the root cause of all conflict, no one is able to actually genuinely resolve it. Since conflict is the automatic result of not putting God in the center, if we can, instead of putting ourselves in the center, put God back in the center where He belongs, all conflicts will be resolved. But these fools and rascals are so proud and puffed up that they want to kick out God and resolve conflicts without putting Him in the center. Such utopian dreams will never bear real fruit. This world will become more and more of a hell. Bhagavad-Gita Lecture--Kaunas, Lithuania--11 May 2016 Video For the Day: Greatest Guru in History Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: How Long Before Getting Next Body? My humble obeisances to

How do you know if Krishna is pleased with you? Srila Prabhupada has very nicely answered this question a in letter written in Mayapur, West Bengal, India on 28 February 1972 to his disciple Kirtiraja Das: "So there is test for knowing if I am pleasing Krishna: If He reveals Himself to me, if I see Krishna, then I know I am pleasing Krishna. And another test is if my spiritual master is pleased by my service then I know that I am pleasing Krishna; it is very simple, because if I am following the prescribed regulative principles of my Spiritual Master, then without doubt I am pleasing him." So in this way we can always know that we are pleasing Krishna by following the orders of our spiritual master. Krishna Reveals Himself to His Pure Devotees Video For the Day: Solution for All Problems Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: How to Get Rid of My Bad Qualities? I request you to kindly let me know about how can I get rid of the pride, ego, envy, jealousy

My dear most beloved Lord Sri Krishna, Please bless me that I may be purely absorbed in your devotional service in all times, places, and circumstances for all of eternity without even the slightest deviation from pure bhakti in either my thoughts, words, or deeds. My dear Lord, I know that anything less than this will not be pleasing to you. Thus I am I begging you to bless me with pure devotional service so that I can give you unlimited pleasure for all of eternity. Please help me to attain this. I am a most fallen and bewildered servant of my rascal senses. Without your mercy I will not be able to escape this entrapment within the prison of sense gratification. So please save me. Sri Sri Radha Damodar in Riga, Latvia--8 May 2016 Video For the Day: Awaken Pure Love for God Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Why Bad Things Happen to Good People? As you mentioned in the 9 May 2016 Thought for the Day, in a situation where greedy, remorseless, revengeful, power

If you don't cheat yourself, nobody can cheat you. And if you do cheat yourself, everyone will cheat you. Therefore life's most important lesson is how not to cheat yourself. So how is this accomplished? How does one not cheat himself? This is done by knowing who you are. When you understand that you are not your body, that you are an eternal spiritual being qualitatively one with the Supreme Being and you then dovetail your individual consciousness with His Supreme Consciousness, you have rightly situated yourself beyond being cheated. Any other state of being is a denial of your actual identity and is the most horrendous form of cheating. And if you cheat yourself, you will be the worst cheater of all others. Do You Want Krishna or Maya? Video For the Day: Real Science Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Trouble With My Work Schedule I am having difficulties with my working time. Early morning I have to rush to work, and I come home late at night. The

The entire world population is suffering like anything trapped within the cycle of repeating birth, death, old age, and disease. Therefore, within the innermost cores of their beings they are desperately crying out for help awaiting that glorious moment when they can be awakened from their hellish nature by a merciful devotee of the Lord who takes the time and trouble to give them Krishna consciousness Therefore, out of intense compassion for these poor suffering fellows the devotees of Krishna fully absorb their lives in trying to bring them out of the clutches of maya or illusion. Home Program--Riga, Latvia--7 May 2016 Video For the Day: Deliver the World Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: How to Be Absorbed in Service Mood? Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Thank you for inspiring me in my Krishna Consciousness each and every day. I am really enjoying the daily videos as well as the are full of nectar. Guru Maharaja, please

This material world is a bad neighborhood in which there is danger at every step. It is not at all a fit place for a gentleman's residence. Everywhere people are engaged in grossly sinful activities like killing cows and killing unborn babies in the womb. Saintly persons are insulted and abused and sinful life is very much glorified and promoted in the media. Therefore there is a great need for a spiritual revolution to completely transform the entire atmosphere. Lord Caitanya's Spiritual Revolution Video For the Day: The Mercy of Tulasi Devi Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Request: I Need a Bona Fide Spiritual Master I am a retired railway employee. Almighty Paramatma has awarded me with every thing to dwell soothly. I have come into contact with so many so-called swamis and saints, but nowhere could I feel tranquility. Paramatma has given me musical art so that I can sing bhajans. He has provided me with the art of flute playing so that I can call him throug

The key to unlocking the door to pure Krishna bhakti in your heart is to cultivate loving relationships with Vaisnavas, because we can only love Krishna to the extent that we love His devotees. One who understands this secret and seriously cultivates a loving attitude towards and loving relationships with all devotees makes very rapid progress on the pathway back to home, back to Godhead. Devotees Are United by Hare Krishna Kirtan Video For the Day: Take Over the World Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: They Say Realization Comes Only From Within Hare Krishna Srila Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Your Divine Grace and Srimati Gurumataji. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. When I preach to some people, they say that realization only comes from within, not from someone teaching them. How to preach them? Your servant, Sacinandana Das Answer: Teacher Required to Connect With Your Within Tell that Arjuna got his realization by hearing f

Last night here in Riga (4 May 2016) I gave a lecture on the 50 years of ISKCON history. ISKCON's history, of course, goes back far beyond that to at least that most glorious day in 1922 when Srila Prabhupada was given the order by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur to spread the Krishna consciousness movement to the English speaking world. It is so sweet to meditate upon and describe the glorious ISKCON because, as Srila Prabhupada said on at least two occasions, this movement is an incarnation of Krishna. Srila Prabhupada's First Meeting with Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Video For the Day: Connect with Radha and Krishna Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Purpose of Marriage? Dear master, What is the purpose of marriage? I am sure that sex life is not the purpose of marriage. What is it then? Thanks & regards, Shreyansh Answer: Give Up Sex Marriage is not for promoting sex. Rather it is for finishing sex. Have some saintly children and completely give

Come out of illusion. Why cheat yourself for even one more minute out the eternity, bliss, and knowledge that is your personal property? You are not that rotting lump of flesh and blood that you call your body. You are an eternal spiritual being possessing unlimited happiness and cognizance. So stop trying to be what you are not, a most difficult and frustrating struggle, and simply be who you are, the most easy natural lifestyle you could ever imagine. Because you are habituated since time immemorial to be in illusion, it takes time and proper guidance to come back to your original position. This is why you need a bona fide spiritual master. Amazing Krishna in Goloka Awaits Your Return Video For the Day: Make Whole World Krishna Conscious Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Can the Jiva Fall a Second Time? When did the jiva, the living being, first fall into this material world? And couldn't he after go back to Godhead fall again into this material world? Y

Sometimes we hear neophyte devotees argue that it is not good to feel guilty, lamenting if one somehow or other falls down and breaks the principles of Krishna consciousness. But according to Srila Prabhupada this is not at all true. In his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 6.2.27 he explains as follows: "This is the mentality of one who is becoming a pure devotee. When one is elevated to the platform of devotional service by the grace of the Lord and the spiritual master, one first regrets his past sinful activities. This helps one advance in spiritual life. The Visnudutas had given Ajamila the chance to become a pure devotee, and the duty of a pure devotee is to regret his past sinful activities in illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. Not only should one give up his past bad habits, but he must always regret his past sinful acts. This is the standard of pure devotion." If we truly lament for whatever deviations we have made from the principles of Krishna conscio

That day when the world leaders recognize that Srila Prabhupada's teachings can solve all of the world's problems will be the beginning of new enlightened era for our global society. Srila Prabhupada has this divine potency because he is fully surrendered to the supreme leader, Lord Sri Krishna. May that day come very soon. May it come very soon! Srila Prabhupada Leads the World Video For the Day: Hare Krishna Monks Meditating Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Are Living Beings Superior or Inferior to Maya? Why does Srila Prabhupada describe maya or Lord's material energy as superior to the living beings in this purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 3.20.8 when Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita 7.5 that the living beings are superior to the inferior material nature. Regards, Vivek Answer: Determined by Their Mentality When the living being is in his original liberated state he is superior to the material energy. But when he foolishly misuses his independence

After almost a month of relishing the wonderful spiritual qualities of the holy land of India, we are now heading out for three weeks of spreading the science of Krishna in Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, and Finland. Even though India has practically totally lost it Vedic culture, Srila Prabhupada explains that even if an elephant is dead it is still valuable because its tusks are ivory. It has been especially a great inspiration to see how the Krishna consciousness movement is going on with great potency in Vrindavan and also here in Pune. The example of the wonderful devotees in Vrindavan and Pune is a great inspiration for us to maintain our Krishna consciousness nicely while we travel to spread the Krishna consciousness movement all over the world Bhagavatam Lecture--Pune, India--1 May 2016 Video For the Day: Learning from the Nagapatnis Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Go Away from a Devotee I Don't Like? In my devotee community there is this person th