Ultimate Self Realization

Oftentimes people are baffled in their attempt to understand which path they should follow. But the answer is very simple. In which scriptures has God most fully revealed Himself? In the Bible Jesus says that there is more knowledge that he has not revealed yet. But in the Bhagavad-gita 7.2 Krishna says, " jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam idaṁ vakṣyāmy aśeṣataḥ yaj jñātvā neha bhūyo 'nyaj jñātavyam avaśiṣyate "I shall now declare unto you in full this knowledge, both phenomenal and numinous. This being known, nothing further shall remain for you to know." There are no scriptures in the world in which God is more fully revealed than in the Vedic wisdom. From the Vedas we learn about His names, His qualities, His pastimes, His abode, His associates, etc. No other scriptures give us such complete information. So considering this, it doesn't take half a brain to understand that one should obviously follow the path of the Vedas, which culminate in understanding the Su

To be offensive towards a Vaisnava is the greatest of all blunders. In this regard Srila Prabhupada writes as follows: "While describing the system of protection for the creeper of devotional service, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has especially stressed protection from offenses unto the lotus feet of Vaisnavas. Such offenses are called vaisnava-aparadha. Aparadha means 'offense.' If one commits vaisnava-aparadhas, all of his progress in devotional service will be checked. Even though one is very much advanced in devotional service, if he commits offenses at the feet of a Vaisnava, his advancement is all spoiled. In the sastras it is found that a very great yogi, Durvasa Muni, committed a vaisnava-aparadha and thus for one full year had to travel all over the universe, even to Vaikunthaloka, to defend himself from the offense. At last, even when he approached the Supreme Personality of Godhead in Vaikuntha, he was refused protection. Therefore one should be very careful about c

For countless lifetimes we have been foolishly rebelling against the supremacy of the Lord by our so-called wars of independence, trying to enjoy separately from Him. Thus we have become extremely contaminated with various psychological toxins such as lust, greed, anger, illusion, false pride and envy. Therefore in order to become spiritually healthy and happy we are in urgent need of psychological detoxification. This detox is easily accomplished. All we need do is carefully chant at least 16 rounds daily of the Hare Krishna mahamantra on japa mala beads while simultaneously avoiding illicit sex, meat eating, intoxication, and gambling. If this discipline is practiced under the guidance of the most expert detoxification counselor, the bona fide spiritual master, then it is sure to be successful in restoring us to our original pure state of love of God. Srila Prabhupada Can Detoxify the Entire Universe Video For the Day: One Solution for All Problems Answers by Citing the Ve

The Absolute Truth is that from which everything is emanating. And harmonizing with that Absolute Truth is the balancing principle for attaining perfect existence. The modern day world is totally out of tune with the Absolute Truth. This is the underlying cause of every single problem being faced in the world today. Therefore the ultimate solution for all problems of life, both individually and collectively, is be in tune, to be in a state of perfect harmony with the Absolute Truth. That Absolute Truth, although one, is described differently in the various philosophical and religious traditions of the world. The greatest need of modern day education is to enlighten all peoples in the art and science of how they can live at every moment in perfect harmony with that Absolute Truth. The greatest expression of this perfection of knowledge can be found in the writings of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta. Therefore we urge all thoughtful people all over the world to study Prabhupada'

In today's news three killing sprees were reported. A church in France was attacked during a worship service. The 84 year old Catholic priest who was conducting the mass was murdered. A person with a knife killed 19 people in Japan, and two suicide bombers in Somali killed 13 people. And this is just one day's news. For the sake of brevity we are not the mentioning the other killing sprees earlier this week, this month, or this year. So what's going on here? Why is all hell breaking loose on this planet right now? While such news reports are certainly shocking, for those who understand the law of karma they are not at all surprising. If you consider that every day 156 million innocent animals are killed on this planet simply to satisfy our lust to taste blood and flesh and that 66,000 thousand innocent children are murdered every day simply because we don't want to give them our loving care, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that humanity is cooking

Recently a young college student at Muskingum University in New Concord, Ohio USA was sentenced to life in prison without any possibility of parole for murdering her newly born baby. The irony of this court decision is that if she had killed the baby by abortion an hour before it was born, in other words while the child was still in her womb, she would be considered guilty of no crime at all. She would have simply done what over 66,000 women do on this planet do every day without being punished, legally murder their babies by abortion. But what is the difference if someone murders you in your mother's house or outside of your mother's house. If someone murders you, no matter where the crime is committed, they are guilty of murder and should be punished. This is another example of how demoniac our modern day governments have become that they would dare to legalize the murder of innocent children. Krishna conscious parents, on the other hand, do not murder their babies. They l

Religion has gotten a bad name, not because religion is bad, but because what is presented nowadays as religion is not actually religion. Religion nowadays has erroneously come to mean something sectarian. Therefore people commonly ask, "What religion do you belong to?" But there is factually no such thing as this religion or religion because religion is one, to relink oneself in a loving relationship with the Supreme Person, who is the source of all existence. That Supreme Person has unlimited names in accordance with His unlimited qualities, activities, and relationships. Anyone who has revived their lost loving relationship with that Supreme Person is practicing true religion. Others who present themselves as being members of this religion or that religion without trying to awaken love of God within their hearts are simply cheaters and bluffers. Chanting Hare Krishna on 6th Street Austin, Texas--23 July 2016 Video For the Day: Avoid the Void Answers by Citing

Krishna consciousness is so transcendental and so wonderful that you can even be happy when you are sick. The first thing is that you understand fully well that you are not your body. This is means that your happiness or lack thereof does not depend on the condition of your body. It simply depends on your consciousness, over which you have complete control and does not have to be influenced by any external situation. If you are thinking of Krishna and being fully dependent on Him, you will be genuinely happy. Otherwise you will not be happy, even if you are in the best of material circumstances. So take complete control of your happiness by always remembering your all-merciful, eternal well-wisher Lord Sri Krishna. Krishna, the Best Friend of All Living Beings Video For the Day: Transcendental Bliss on 6th Street Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Comment: How Can Krishna Be the Origin of Himself? Srila Gurudeva, all your instructions and teachings can be realized as t

Since we are back here in Austin for an extended period of time, we are now doing a live broadcast of Srimad Bhagavatam class every day. 5 September will be the last day, and there will be no Bhagavatam class on 26 August. You can join the class at https://www.startmeeting.com/join/sda5 Once you are logged in click on the telephone icon to join the class. Here are the timings for various parts of the world: 02:15am to 03:15am in Honolulu Hawaii 05:15am to 06:15am in Los Angeles 07:15am to 08:15am in USA (Central Time) 08:15am to 09:15am in NYC, Toronto, Santiago (Eastern Time) 09:15am to 10:15am in Mendoza, Argentina 01:15pm to 02:15pm in London 02:15pm to 03:15pm in Copenhagen, S. Africa 03:15pm to 04:15pm in Latvia, Bucharest 04:15pm to 05:15pm in Mauritius 05:45pm to 06:45pm in India 08:15pm to 09:15pm in Malaysia, Hong Kong 10:15pm to 11:15pm in Sydney, Melbourne Australia 12:15am to 01:15am in New Zealand (next day) And most importantly, if you would like to always be notified

Chanting the holy names of God is enchanting because when one chants he is in direct contact with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And because chanting is enchanting, the more one goes on chanting, the more he becomes enchanted until finally he reaches the point where he is no longer enchanted by the material energy and is only enchanted by Krishna. This then is the perfection of his existence. So go on chanting, chanting, chanting. Just go on chanting. Srila Prabhupada Deeply Absorbed in Japa Meditation Video For the Day: Always Be Tolerant Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Krishna Has Come? Dear Sir, Krishna said: Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion-at that time I descend Myself. So don't you think there have been enough decline in religious practice for Krishna to descend? Or has Krishna descended without it being effective? Kavish Answer: He's Here Now Kr

Just as clean, pure water is a pleasure to drink as opposed to dirty, contaminated water, in a similar way when one has pure consciousness existence itself is ecstatic. It does not require any artificial props of material sense pleasure to hold it up, to give it substance. This is why developing pure consciousness is the most important thing that everyone can do. There is truly nothing more important or more essential than this. For one who has achieved this there is no greater gain to be had anywhere within the three worlds. Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra Video For the Day: Fly Hare Krishna Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Who is Lord Jaganntha? Dear Srila Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you. Could you please tell me who is Lord Jagannatha? Is He Vrindavan Krishna or Mathura Krishna or Dvarka Krishna? Who exactly is he? Your insignificant servant, Visvanatha Das Answer: Krishna Relishing His Vrindavana Lila Lord Jagannatha

There is unbelievable turmoil currently torturing the modern day human society. Practically every day there is another terrorist attack upon innocent people in some corner of the world. The modern day world leaders have no idea how to stop this scourge of terrorism and the ocean of other misfortunes currently drowning this planet. If, however, they will take our guidance, we can solve all the world's problems: political, economic, ecological, etc. So we are humbly begging the world's leaders to kindly open their hearts, open their minds and take our guidance. A new era of peace and prosperity on this this planet will be the immediate result. Terror Attack in Orlando Video For the Day: Value of Human Life Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: How to Have an Easy Exit from this World? Jabalpur, India 19 July 2016 Respected Sir, I am in an advanced stage of life, in my eighties. Some of my friends are having chronic ailments undergoing prolonged sufferin

A new undivided world is dawning, a new unified world based on spirituality, a non-sectarian understanding of God and our relationship with God. Whether you call Him Allah, Jehovah, or Krishna, we all come from the same place. We all have a common origin. Therefore we are all one family and the multifarious divisions that we have evolved over many centuries are all artificial. So instead of maintaining an agenda of jockeying for supremacy we should all learn how to become the humble servants of the one Supreme God, who is addressed by everyone in various ways. By this approach locally and globally, we will experience phenomenal rejuvenation individually and collectively the like of which this planet has not experienced for thousands of years. Bliss at the Austin Sunday Love Feast--17 July 2016 (left to right: Leigh Ann Lynam, Jimmy Lynam, Sankarshan Das, Rod Prothero, Karen Prothero) Video For the Day: How to Realize this Knowledge Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Quest

On 2 March 1975 in Atlanta, Georgia USA I was doubly blessed with the greatest good fortune of being in the divine presence of Srila Prabhupada along with the special mercy of being able to ask him a question and receive an answer immediately back from him. My question and his answer is given below: Sankarshan Das: Prabhupada, before this movement came here we were so caught up in sinful activities. How is it that we were so fortunate to be blessed with this great Hare Krishna movement? Prabhupada: It is Krishna's mercy. Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to give you. Now He has come here. You take advantage of it. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is kind to everyone. He has no discrimination that this cult should be spread only in India or amongst the Hindus or amongst the brahmanas. No. He wanted to spread this movement to all living being. Never mind. Prthivite ache yata nagaradi. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. So now He has come. If you want, accept Caitanya Mahaprabhu's order, &qu

A sadhu, a saintly person, is tolerant, merciful and friendly to all living entities. He has no enemies because he loves everyone. He is peaceful, he abides by the scriptures, and all his characteristics are sublime. He is a devotee of the Lord. His mercy is that he wants to enlighten all people in devotional service. He knows that unless people become devotees their human life will be spoiled, that they will be dragged down to the animal kingdom in their next birth. Therefore he travels all over the world teaching everyone to not spoil their human life in the pursuit of temporary material sense gratification, that they should instead fully absorb their lives in the devotional service of the Lord. He is not satisfied by his own liberation from material existence because he is always thinking of how the fallen souls of this material world can be delivered. If we are fortunate enough to be able to take shelter of such a great saintly person and we carefully and sincerely follow his in

Today after being on the road for almost two months we are heading back to our home base in Austin, Texas having completely circled the globe. Someone who travels this much is sometimes call a "road warrior." Being recognized as a road warrior by USA Today, I was asked by this leading national US newspaper how the recent terrorist attack in Europe would impact my travel plans. My answers to them are given in the "Answers by Citing the Vedic Version" section below. I pray that USA Today and the world's leaders will take seriously my authorized guidance on how to put a stop to terrorism. If they do so, a new era of unparalled peace and prosperity will dawn on this planet. Srila Prabhupada Chants Japa in His Los Angeles Headquarters Video For the Day: Govinda's Restaurant Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: How Safe Do You Feel Traveling to Europe? I was recently questioned by USA Today, the widest circulated print newspaper in the Unit

Arriving here in New Dwarka (Los Angles) after a 14 hour flight from Melbourne we are blessed by the association of so many wonderful devotees of Krishna. This association with Vaisnavas, the devotees of the Lord, is our very life and soul, the sustenance of our existence. In the material world nowadays, hell is breaking loose practically every day with one terrorist attack after another after another. But we devotees of Krishna know that the solution to terrorism and all the problems of the world is the awakening of the dormant love of God within our hearts. Such love of God or Krishna consciousness automatically includes genuine compassion for all living beings, just as when you water the root of a tree all the leaves and branches are also automatically watered. Devotion to God expressed by cruelty God's creatures is not devotion to God at all. It is simply bogus. Real devotion to God automatically includes devotion to all of His children, in all species of life. Ecstatic Send

Today we are flying from Melbourne, Australia to Los Angeles, USA. We depart from Melbourne at 915am and arrive in Los Angeles at 635am on the same day. Amazingly this is two hours and forty minutes before we depart from Melbourne. So how is this possible? It's because we are crossing the international date line traveling in an eastward direction. There is another dateline which is even more amazing than this. That is the Viraja River, the boundary between the material and spiritual worlds. When one crosses it on his going back to home, back to Godhead, even though he has spent unlimited millions and billions of years in the material existence, it will be as he never left the spiritual world. He will simply pick up where he left off when he fell down from his participation in Lord Sri Krishna's eternal pastimes. He will resume his eternal relationship with Krishna and His devotees practically as if he had never left. Pick Up Where You Left Off in the Spiritual World Vid

How can a person be happy in a place which is 100% miserable? This is the challenge that each of us faces here in this material world. The answer is very simple. You have to tune in to a higher level of consciousness beyond this material world. Then and only then will you okay. That higher level of consciousness is Krishna consciousness. Blissful Devotees in Seattle Video For the Day: Connecting with Srila Prabhupada Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Longer Time for Householders to Become Pure Devotees? Householders have lesser time and chances of devotional service as compared to full time celibate and renounced devotees living in the temple. Will then it take more time for them to become pure devotees? Golok Das Answer: That Depends on Their Intensity While it is more difficult for householders to become Krishna conscious, if they are more intense in their desire to serve Krishna, they can become more advanced than sannyasis and brahmacaris. Srila Prabhu

As long as you remain in the realm of material sense pleasures you are doing nothing but cheating yourself big time because that body is not you. It's nothing more than a garment that you are wearing or a car that you are driving. So come out of the illusion of bodily consciousness. Realize that you are an eternal sprit-soul servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and fully absorb yourself in lovingly serving Him. You'll enjoy an eternal life full of bliss and knowledge in His most amazingly splendorous transcendental kingdom, the spiritual sky. What are you waiting for? Don't cheat yourself for another minute. Fully surrender yourself to Lord Sri Krishna right now! ISKCON's Global Mission Lecture Melbourne, Australia--10 July 2016 Video For the Day: History's Greatest Paradigm Shift Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: What is the Form of the Soul? In a lecture Prabhupada was saying that just as his coat and shirt have got arms beca

Ultimate success is described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje: [SB 1.2.6] "The ultimate success is when you understand God and you are in love with God." This is real success. You simply have to be in love with God. It doesn't matter how you have learned to love God: as a Christian, as a Hindu, or as a Muslim. Simply if you have leaned how to love God, then you have achieved the supreme success. All other types of success are temporary. They all come and go like the changing of the seasons. When you achieve this supreme success of loving God, your success will never be taken away for all of eternity. It becomes your permanent asset. Ultimate Success Lecture Urban Yoga Center--Melbourne, Australia--9 July 2016 Video For the Day: Connecting with Srila Prabhupada Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Five Police Officers Murdered in Dallas What is your opinion about the shooting in Dallas, Texas of five pol

Around us right now is a world descending into deeper and darker chaos. Every day's news brings stinging reports of more and more atrocities being committed against living beings in a world that is becoming ever-increasingly more and more godless. What is sane person supposed to do in the face of so much madness? He must strongly reconnect with Krishna or God with pure loving devotion. This will bring him genuine peace and happiness ina crazy world that is steadily becoming more and more of hellish nightmare. How to Become Free From All Material Desires Melbourne, Australia--8 July 2016 Video For the Day: Escape the Sinking Ship Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: How to Develop Single-Pointed Intelligence? How to develop single-pointed intelligence to serve spiritual master? Your insignificant servant, Amala Purana Das Answer: Always Remember this Mood We sing to our spiritual master every day: guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete koriyā aikya ār nā koriho m

Politicians are not meant to lead the world. Instead the world is meant to be lead by saintly teachers who strictly follow and teach what is given in the scriptures. The political leaders are meant to remain in their administrative positions, but they should engage in their governmental functions under the guidance of the saintly teachers. In this way the entire world can be peaceful and happy. The spiritual leaders of the Krishna consciousness are ready to give this advice to the world's political leaders. Now we are simply waiting for them to agree to hear from us. Srila Prabhupada Manifests an Ocean of Compassion Video For the Day: How to Attain Deathlessness Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Do We Need Guru Only in the Beginning? Somebody told me that the Spiritual Master is important only in the beginning, that later we have to grow up and be able to do everything on our own. They gave an example like a child when he grows up he must let go of his mot

If you want to awaken your dormant Krishna consciousness, you have to become aloof from the association of materialistically minded people. This is confirmed by Lord Caitanya. When He was requested to explain the duty of a devotee of Krishna, He immediately said, "asat-saṅga-tyāga-ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra--The first business of a Vaisnava is to give up the association of persons who are not Krishna conscious." [Cc. Madhya 22.87]. Prahlada Maharaja has the same mood. He prays to the Personality of Godhead that he may avoid the association of nondevotees, those who attached to the materialistic way of life. If Prahlada must be attached to someone, he prays to be attached only to a devotee. "The Keyboard is Mightier Than the Gun." Writing in Hong Kong Airport--6 July 2016 Video For the Day: Arrival in Australia Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Bhakti-What, Why, and to Whom? Kindly enlighten me in the following: 1) What is bhakti? 2) Why should we d

Is it possible for the Kali yuga, the present most degraded materialistic age of quarrel and hypocrisy, to go into remission and be replaced by the most sublime golden era of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu? The skeptics say that it is impossible. But according to the most authoritative scripture, the Sri Caitanya Caritamrita by Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami, not only is it possible that it can happen; it is predicted that indeed it will happen. So it is not a question of IF it happen. It is simply a question of WHEN it will happen. That "when it will happen" depends on us, how dedicated we are to make it happen as soon as possible. Therefore let us take the world deliverance mission given to us by Lord Caitanya and Srila Prabhupada with the utmost seriousness and absorb ourselves fully in pushing forward the Krishna consciousness movement as much as possible for the deliverance of the fallen, suffering souls of this age. Introducing Security Guard to Krishna Consciousness Shah Alam

One of my disciples in Malaysia has written these words of appreciation for my humble attempt to share the bliss of Krishna consciousness with the suffering people of the world: "This e-course is for me like contact with Krishna and my personal relationship with Krishna. In other words, I am thirsty for Krishna and waiting for next lesson and Thought for the Day, knowing that Krishna surely must have something for me, to attract me back home where I belong. Through this course, which is the great effort of Sankarshan das Adhikari, everyone can regain his true spiritual nature as an eternal servant of guru and Krishna. Your servant, Mitravinda devi dasi" I am very happy that Lord Sri Krishna has given me this opportunity to help people all over the world find genuine, lasting happiness. Lord Krishna Awaits Your Return to His Kingdom Video For the Day: Religion is One Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Radha Worshipped When We Chant Hare Krishna? All gl

The mental speculators endeavor to become self-realized through the process of negation, cutting away from their consciousness everything that is not the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is not this, it's not that, etc. As a young spiritual seeker in 1968 I was also pursuing this path. I was cutting away, as best as I could, all material attachments. While the others of my age were choosing their careers in this field and that field, I opted to renounce all material careers. My career path was to go to India and become a mendicant, a holy beggar, for the remaining duration of my life. However, one evening as I was preparing to depart from the USA to India I had the most profound, striking realization. I was so impressed by my realization that I immediately wrote it down on a piece of paper: "I denied and denied until I could deny no longer, and then I had to start accepting." I realized that the perfection of denial is to deny denial itself. At this moment my career p

Anger is our enemy. In anger a mother can kill her own children, as has recently happened in the USA. When we consider ourselves to be the center of existence and someone challenges our position we become angry. Hence, anger is a manifestation of delusion, a false overly inflated conception of ourselves. Anger is automatically conquered when we become humble and recognize that Krishna or God, the perfect orchestrator, is the center of the universe, not us. This Most Beautiful Person is the Center of All Existence Video For the Day: How To Be World's Happiest Person Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Can You Bless Me to Never Fall Down? Hare Krishna Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! At every second, every minute I worry that I may fall down because I have done so many wrong things in the past. Thus your presence via email, internet, or physically is just like a very strict school teacher or headmaster for me who w

Hare Krishna Please accept my humble obeisances All glories to Srila Prabhupada Hare Krishna! My name is Aniruddha Keshava Joshi. I am a nine year old home-schooled 3rd grader boy and live with my parents and elder sister. I enrolled with the e-course on August 4th 2014 when I was 7. In 2014, I had just begun my personal e-mail and I wanted to receive e-mails daily. My parents suggested that I could get devotional emails if I registered with the e-course. I agreed with my parents and so from then on, I get the opportunity to learn something unique from the Bhagavad-gita each week. Answering the weekly lesson on time helps me in my English comprehension, understanding Bhagavad-gita better, memorizing 1 verse of Bhagavad Gita weekly, and practice spiritual discipline. Firstly, my English writing improves a lot because of the e-course designed by His Grace Sankarshan Dasa Adhikari Prabhu. Srila Prabhupada wrote such perfect English in the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, that it enriches my own v