Ultimate Self Realization

Why not take to the path of self-realization fully right now? You've got nothing to lose except for all of your anxieties. And you've got absolutely everything to gain. It will undoubtedly be the smartest you ever made in millions and billions of lifetimes. So do it. Become serious about self-realization right now. Krishna Awaits Your Return to His Eternal Abode Video For the Day Rare Opportunity Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: How Could Pure Soul Desire to Enjoy Separately? I just want to ask that first when we were being created we were in spiritual world where there are no anarthas (bad qualities). We came to this material world because we wanted to enjoy separately from the Lord. But how the desire to enjoy separately came as there is no enviousness in the spiritual world? Your most insignificant servant, Nirmala Devaki Devi Dasi Answer: Misuse of Independence Because the ocean is salty, the drop of ocean of water is also salty. Thus we can u...

When you are feeling depressed, down in the dumps, low on bhakti, what to do to come out of it? Count your blessings. Remind yourself how fortunate you are to know that Krishna is the Supreme Personality and to be situated on the pathway that is taking you out of this miserable material world back to your eternal home in the spiritual sky, the land of eternity, knowledge, and bliss. Your future is factually unlimitedly bright. So why should you be morose? There is no reason to ever feel down. So celebrate your unlimited good fortune and have an unlimitedly blissful day! Blissful Hare Krishna Kirtan in Moscow Video For the Day Solution for All Problems Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: I Don't Feel Like Living. Can You Help? I feel like quitting my life immediately and attain liberation. I have no inspiration or motivation to continue living in this material world. Can you please help in this regard? Thanks, D. Answer: Fully Krishnize Yourself For Unlimi...

Come out of the clouds of illusion into the brilliant sun of Krishna consciousness, which completely drives away all of the darkness of the ignorance that has now become all pervading in this age of Kali. The easy and most sublime way to do this is by regularly studying the Srimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavat Purana), in which it stated: kṛṣṇe sva-dhāmopagate dharma-jñānādibhiḥ saha kalau naṣṭa-dṛśām eṣa purāṇārko 'dhunoditaḥ "This Bhagavata Purana is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Krishna to His own abode, accompanied by religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the age of Kali shall get light from this Purana." Page by page, the more you dive into reading the Srimad Bhagavatam, the more you will become relieved from ignorance and misery and blissed with bliss and knowledge. Srimad Bhagavatam Dissipates the Darkness of the Age of Kali Video For the Day Solution for All...

The world has become so much topsy-turvy that at the present moment it is completely up-side down. That which is good is considered to bad, and that which is bad is considered to be good. Therefore, now a total respiritualization of the human society is necessary to make it right-side up again. We cannot do this alone. For this we very much need your help. So kindly join forces with us to the full extent of your abilities to assist us in bringing a all-encompassing spiritual revolution to this planet as soon as possible. Hare Krishna Kirtan Revolutionizes the Universe Video For the Day Nothing So Sublime and Pure as Transcendental Knowledge Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Initiation is Required for Going Back to Godhead? There are many people in the world who are Krishna consciousness but are uninitiated. Where in the sastras (scriptures) it is stated that initiation is necessary to get liberation from repeated birth and death? Faith in holy names (Sraddha)...

In the midst of so many varied activities as we practice Krishna consciousness we must never forget that the ultimate goal of everything that we are doing is to awaken pure love of God within our hearts. By always remembering this we will be able to execute all of our varied activities in the proper consciousness and thus quickly attain that sublime ultimate goal. Pure Love of the Supremely Lovable Krishna is Our Ultimate Goal Video For the Day Real Love Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Chanting 13 Crores of Rama Gives God Realization? My only goal is God realization in this lifetime. For that I am using Lord Rama Nama chant both written and oral. I am planning to do very serious chanting very soon. I have few queries regarding that: 1) I understand from many sources that chanting 13 crores (130 million) names of Rama will lead to God realization? Is that true? 2) When and after how many counts does Rama Nama mechanical chanting and offense chanting turns to ...

Sometimes those whose with flawed understanding describe the teachings of ISKCON Founder-Acharya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada as being dogmatic, which means strongly presenting things as facts when indeed they are not actually facts. Nothing could be further from the truth. Srila Prabhupada clearly presents reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Regarding being dogmatic, Srila Prabhupada writes as follows in his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 1.19.18 as follows: "The Vedic knowledge is received perfectly by disciplic succession from authorities. Such knowledge is never dogmatic, as ill conceived by less intelligent persons. The mother is the authority to verify the identity of the father. She is the authority for such confidential knowledge. Therefore, authority is not dogmatic." Materialists say that anyone who considers themselves to be absolutely right is dogmatic. But when we ask them if this is absolutely right, they are force...

My first career choice as a young university student was to become an actor. For this purpose I was enrolled in the drama department at the University of Texas at Austin, But then when one of the graduates of our school told us what it is actually like being an actor, I realized that was not for me. And then after being introduced to the path of self-realization I opted to renounce the world and adopt the career path of a holy beggar in India. On the way to India to begin my chosen career I realized that the perfection of renunciation was to also renounce renunciation. At that point I resolved that instead of leaving the world I would stay in it with the career path of a spiritual revolutionary fully dedicated to bringing a about a total respiritualization of the human society. So I reversed my travel direction. Instead of going east to India, I went west to San Francisco where I endeavored to bring a spiritual revolution to the human society. After two years of being unsuccessful in ...

In spite of not even being sure how he could survive all alone in New York City Srila Prabhupada came there in 1965 on the order of his spiritual master, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja to introduce the science of Krishna consciousness to the English-speaking world. How much indebted are we to him for risking everything for the sake of giving us Krishna consciousness? Our debt to him is incalculable. Srila Prabhupada in New York Video For the Day We Are Insane Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: How to Get Rid of the Darkness in My Heart? I badly need help. I need shelter at Krishna's lotus feet immediately. Can you please throw light and get rid of darkness in my heart. Thanks, D.R. Answer: Surrender Fully to the Bona Fide Spiritual Master Krishna says that unless you are the devotee of His devotee, you are not His devotee. Therefore by fully surrendering yourself to the bona fide spiritual master you immediately get perfect ...

Don't cheat yourself by relegating yourself to a dull, life of drudgery of simply serving your temporary material senses. Do yourself the ultimate favor. Get yourself in the vanguard of history's greatest paradigm shift, the sankirtan movement of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, which is currently inundating the entire universe with a tidal wave of pure love of God. Learn more and more about Krishna and your relationship with Him. And then dedicate your life for fully sharing whatever you have realized about Krishna with theh world around you. This will put you on the vanguard, the cutting edge, of the greatest spiritual revolution in universal history. Lord Caitanya's Movement is Inundating the Universe Video For the Day Prema Tidal Wave Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: All Gods the Same in Ancient Vedic Civilization? Hare Krishna, please accept my humble offering of gratitude for everything I have learned from ISKCON during the course of my association...

In the Bhagavad-gita 2.65 Lord Krishna says that for one who is satisfied in Krishna consciousness the threefold miseries of material existence no longer exist. This is a fantastic most compelling reason to become Krishna conscious. Why continue suffering unnecessarily in material existence when you can by the simply act of surrendering to Krishna become unlimitedly bliss? This is real intelligence. Unfortunately in the modern age the entire world population has become grossly stupid. They are trying to be happy by satisfying the covering of the self, the material body, instead of doing that which satisfies the actual self who resides within the body. Therefore the entire global civilization has plunged into utter chaos. Syamasundar Das Recalls His Association With Srila Prabhupada 20 January 2017-Houston, Texas USA Video For the Day Bliss at ISKCON Houston Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: When Prabhupada Chants Hare Rama When Srila Prabhupada chanted "...

There is a Bengali verse: Boro boro bandolel boro boro phet, lanka dingake mata kore het. "Big, big monkey, big, big belly, Ceylon jumping, melancholy." Srila Prabhupada explains it as follows: "Hanuman, one monkey, he jumped over the Ceylon. So other monkeys also, they were very much proud that a monkey jumped over the ocean. And as soon as he was challenged, 'Can you jump over?' melancholy. Ceylon jumping melancholy. Big, big monkey, big, big belly." (from a Room Conversation -- July 7, 1976, Baltimore) This is a good warning for us that we should not become proud, thinking ourselves to be big, big advanced devotees because if we do so, we will not be qualified to cross over the Viraja Ocean and enter into the spiritual world. Therefore we should always consider ourselves to be lower than the straw in the street fully ready to offer our respectful obeisances to others. This humility will keep our hearts soft so our hearts can melt when chanting Hare Kris...

After two days off from the road from our latest around-the-world preaching tour, today we are heading out to the North American ISKCON leaders' meeting in Houston, Texas being held at our beautiful, wonderful ISKCON Houston temple. It is imperative that ISKCON's leaders keep ISKCON in perfect connection with the instructions of ISKCON's Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. If ISKCON drifts away from Srila Prabhupada, it is dead. And if is strictly follows Srila Prabhupada, it will become eventually so influential that it will usher in a new era of global peace and prosperity for the entire human race, the like of which has not been experienced since the time 5,000 years ago when Lord Sri Krishna as personally present on this planet. Therefore it is absolutely imperative that ISKCON should always remain solidly fixed in following Srila Prabhupada's divine instructions, which are coming to us from Krishna Himself through His topmost ser...

What are we are waiting for? Why do we keep postponing our total surrender to Guru and Krishna? We could be tasting unlimited bliss right now within our hearts at every moment. But instead, we are still suffering to varying degrees due to our still insanely loitering in the precincts of the material energy. When will that auspicious day come to us that we will fully and truly wise up by giving ourselves 100% to Guru and Krishna? When will that day come? Oh, when will that day come? Krishna is Awaiting Our Complete, Total Surrender Video For the Day Indebted to Srila Prabhupada Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Bewildered by Material Distress Hare Krishna. Please accept my most sincere obeisances. All glories to Sri Krishna. All glories to Srimati Radharani. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I'm a student and have been associating with ISKCON for the past six months. I've taken up chanting and I'm chanting 16 rounds. I'm currently facing some ...

Fly transcendental airlines. There's nothing more sublime. This transcendental airlines Will liberate your mind. Your ticket is Hare Krishna, Spiritual master is your pilot. Hop aboard right now. Attain divine realm when you fly it. In that wondrous abode Walking is dancing All speech is singing Youthfulness and immortality Are eternally ringing. Fly transcendental airlines. There's nothing more sublime. This transcendental airlines. Will liberate your mind. It Takes You to Krishna Video For the Day Back from the Road Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Inquiring From More Than One Guru Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Thank you very much for your answer. I was reading "Krishna Book" and I found such text: "The spiritual master may be more than one. The spiritual master who instructs the disciple about spiritual matters is called the siksa-guru, and the spiritual master who initiat...

It is most auspicious that on 15 January 2017 in Brampton, Ontario, Canada I was blessed by Lord Sri Krishna and Srila Prabhupada with the sublime opportunity of giving five wonderful devotees entrance into immortality by formally initiating them as my disciples. These devotees are as follows: 1. Cleveland Mentore is now Caitya-Guru Das 2. Paramraj Bhatt is now Paramahamsa Das 3. Bindiya Bhatt is now Bhagavati Devi Dasi 4. Samantha Mentore is now Satyabhama Devi Dasi 5. Vandana Neeraye is now Vasundhara Devi Dasi I also gave second initiation to three of my initiated disciples who are nicely following their initiation vows. This means that they are now formally ordained as brahmanas, member of the priestly class. These three disciples are Amogha Lila Das, his wife Patita Pavana Devi Dasi, and Vrindavanesvari Devi Dasi. Two other devotees, Hemanga Das and his wife Govinda Mohini Devi Dasi, who previously had been awarded second initiation but had not yet participated in a fire sacrific...

On 14 January 2017, in Toronto, Canada I gave a seminar "Worthwhile Goals for 2017." I focused on what should the two spiritual goals of every devotee of Krishna: to become a pure devotee of Krishna and to make the world Krishna conscious. These two spiritual goals are mutually compatible because the more you become Krishna conscious, the more you automatically, by your example and your words, influence the entire world to become Krishna consciousness, and the more you give Krishna to others, the more you get Him for yourself. "Worthwhile Goals for 2017" Seminar 14 January 2017-Toronto, Ontario Canada Video For the Day We Love You Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Why Did God Create Himself? Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja, Please accept my humble obeisance All glories to Srila Prabhupada Dandavat pranam. Today morning my daughter asked me a question: "Who created God?" I answered, "God created Himself." "Why did God c...

Today, 14 January 2017, here in the Toronto area is a real preaching marathon for us. After doing a three hour morning seminar in Scarborough called "Karma, Reincarnation, Free Will and Destiny" we are traveling to Toronto to do an afternoon lecture called " Worthwhile Goals for 2017" and an evening lecture called "Holy Names of God: Krishna, Allah, Jehovah". This is the perfection of our existence, to be fully absorbed in preaching. May our lives always be filled with preaching like this! Karma, Reincarnation, Free Will, Destiny Seminar 14 January 2017-Scarborough, Ontario Video For the Day On a Mission to Save the World Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Who to Choose as My Guru? I have one question. In these days I started to think a lot about spiritual teacher. Maybe it's too early. I am about 6 months in Krishna consciousness, but I am often thinking, "How I can know if he would be my guru?". What do you recommen...

One has to follow the authorities. This is spoken by Maharaja Yudhisthira the Mahabharata, Vana-parva (313.117): Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah "The pathway of the great authorities must be followed." Otherwise, if we simply depend on our own interpretations of the scriptures, will can easily misunderstand what it actually means to follow the different scriptural injunctions and end doing things which will keep us entangled in material existence. Also if we do no follow the actual great authorities we can easily be misled by rascals who artificially pose themselves as great authorities. The great authorities who are those who are coming in disciplic succession from Krishna and who present the teachings of Krishna exactly as He has given them in the Bhagavad-gita without any addition or adulteration. The Greatest of the Great Authorities: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Video For the Day Don't Be an Animal Answers by Citing the Vedic Version...

Why punish yourself by remaining a sense gratification addict and being forced by the laws of nature to become a animal like a dog, a pig, or a monkey in your next life? That is not very intelligent. You are meant for something much better than that. Human life is meant for higher intelligence, not dull headed animal-like consciousness. Kick the pernicious laziness, craziness, sense gratification habit by taking shelter of Krishna's holy names and you will enter into the domain of unlimited eternal bliss. If you don't believe me, just take a chance and try it. I can assure you that you will achieve something unlimited millions and billions of times greater than anything else you could ever achieve in this temporary material world, even if you were to attain the topmost position here of Lord Brahma, what to speak of any lesser level of so-called material success such as a billionaire or a famous, powerful person on this earth planet. Reward Yourself by Chanting Hare Krishna ...

Previously in Thought for the Day I have written about the simple formula given to us by Srila Prabhupada on 4 December 1968 in Los Angeles how to make the entire world peaceful. Considering the ever-increasing turmoil that is now breaking loose more than ever before on this planet the formula is desperately needed now more than ever by the rapidly disintegrating human civilization. Here's what he said: "We do not expect that the whole population of the human society will be taking to this brahminical culture; but even if one percent of the whole population accepts this brahminical culture, Krishna consciousness, then the whole world will be peaceful. Not even one percent, less than one percent. It is so nice." Since the world population 7,400,000,000, 1% of that is 74 million. So even if we can convince 50 or 60 million people to seriously take up Krishna consciousness, worldwide peace and prosperity will be the result. Devotees Flood the World With Krishna's Holy...

Now we are blessed by a stopover at ISKCON Los Angeles--New Dvaraka. Formerly this was the world headquarters of ISKCON before the development of our Mayapur project in India. Srila Prabhupada spent a lot of time here. I was also blessed with the extra special mercy of Srila Prabhupada's association here, which is detailed below in "Video for the Day." Just to be here is a very exhilarating and enlivening. This place is indeed a dhama, a sacred abode. Simply by being in this place in the mood of pilgrim one can get the awakening of love of God within his heart. Srila Prabhupada in New Dvaraka-ISKCON Los Angeles Video For the Day The Day Prabhupada Gave Me a Flower Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Was Sankaracharya a Bogus Incarnation? Hare Krishna Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances. You mentioned in your answer to the question of 9 January 2017 that God's teachings are always the same, and it is bogus incarnations that create conf...

Lord Krishna, please help us to be successful in our mission of bringing in the golden era of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to the suffering souls of this planet. Srila Prabhupada has given us the method of completely revolutionizing the world by educating the entire human society in Krishna consciousness. Unfortunately we have not been able to do much in this regard. So please, our dear Lord, we are begging you to help us be successful in bringing the entire world civilization to Krishna consciousness. Lord Caitanya Wants to Deliver All Fallen Souls Video For the Day Bring In a New Era Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: What Is Acintya-bhedābheda? Dear Srila Gurudeva, All Glories to Srila Prabhupada, Please accept my humble obeisances, Can you please kind explain deeply the principle of acintya-bhedābheda with example? Your servant, Harsh Answer: Simultaneously, Inconceivably One and Different Bheda means different. And abheda means one or non-different. When comb...

When will the people of this material world learn that you can't be happy by thinking yourself to be the center of enjoyment, that you can only become happy when you accept God as the center of enjoyment? We are trying to convince them of this, but they are so stubbornly attached to this illusion of being the enjoyers that they refuse to even consider any other option. They are so proud and puffed up that instead of learning from the teachings of the sages they find fault with these teachings. As long as they continue being offensive in this way they will never realize the highest truth. Because of this obstinate stubbornness they will be dragged by the laws of the nature into the animal kingdom in their next birth. It's sad. We try to save them. But they refuse to hear submissively from us. This is difficulty. Sri Sri Radha Krishna in Vrindavan Video For the Day Taste Unlimited Happiness Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: Why Everyone Is Not Eager to Se...

While driving by a sex shop in downtown Santiago, Chile on our way to the ISKCON temple, I am reminded how in this material world sexual intercourse is commonly regarded as the ultimate thrill, the most enjoyable of all pleasures. But for those fortunate souls who have mastered the art of diving deeply into the nectarean ocean of Krishna's holy names, sex pleasure is simply tenth class. It is of no interest to them. For them sexual pleasure is a downer, a dispiriting or depressing experience, because it drags their consciousness from the transcendental plane, which is eternal, full of unlimited bliss and knowledge, down to the material plane, which is temporary full of ignorance and full of misery. Who in their right mind would want to trade an ocean of unlimited bliss for an ocean of unlimited misery? Revealing the Secrets of Self Realization Santiago, Chile-6 January 2017 Video For the Day Taste Unlimited Happiness Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: God ...

Srila Prabhupada wrote in a letter from Bombay, India to his disciple Bali Mardana on 7 January 1972, "If we do everything very carefully there is no reason why we cannot save the world." In this connection "carefully" means to carefully follow Srila Prabhupada's instructions. If we do so, our lives will be absolutely ecstatic and we will be able to make the whole world absolutely ecstatic. The symptoms of the age of Kali will go into remission for thousands of years. Devotees Dance in Ecstasy to Gurumata's Kirtan Santiago, Chile-6 January 2017 Video For the Day We Can Save the World Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Report: Ecstatic First Day of Traveling Sankirtan My Dear Srila Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you and to Gurumata. This first day of traveling sankirtan has been ecstatic. My most sincere gratitude to you and Gurumata for everything. Your servant, Bhakta Jesse Answ...

Sooner or later we will face death, when everything we are materially attached to will be forcefully ripped away from us by the stringent laws of nature. Even the wealthiest billionaire cannot purchase with his billions of dollars even one minute of extra of time for his life. This is why for the materialist death is the most fearful thing. However, for one who has fully realized that he is the eternal servant of Krishna and has transferred all of his feelings of attachment to Krishna, death is the most wondrous exciting adventure. For him death means, "Go to sleep, and wake up with Krishna." So who is that fool who will not transfer all of his feelings of attachment to Krishna? Teaching Krishna Science in Mendoza, Argentin-4 January 2017 Video For the Day Realizations from Mendoza Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: What is Fanaticism? What is fanaticism? I am new to Krishna consciousness. I have been told by other devotees that I am too enthusi...

When all hell breaks loose what to do? The first thing to remember is that no matter what happens Krishna is still God and we are all still His eternal servants. We should also remember that Krishna will never put us into a situation which is beyond what we can handle if we will simply completely take shelter of Him. So if instead of being bewildered if we will simply be grateful that Krishna has blessed us with a situation to help us increase our feelings of dependence on Him, we will easily cross over the ocean of anxieties sailing on the ship of unlimited spiritual bliss. Sailing on the Ship of the Holy Names Video For the Day World Deliverance Mission Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Question: When Can I Get Initiated? Respected Guru I am very much suffering in this material world. I want to leave all these and concentrate more on Krishna consciousness and get initiated by you. But I have a son who is aged 15 years and husband and my elderly parents. They all need ...

3 January 2017-After two weeks in Australia today we are heading out 11,486 kilometers (7,137 miles) across the vast Pacific Ocean to South America to spread the rays of Lord Caitanya's benediction moon first in Mendoza, Argentina, and then in Santiago, Chile. All over the world everyone is suffering due to a lack of Krishna consciousness, and somehow or other due to the causeless mercy of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya we have been blessed with the ultimate gift of Krishna consciousness. Therefore now it is our duty to share this supreme gift with the entire world to bring in a new age of peace and prosperity for all and to give everyone the training they need so that they will not take birth again here in this land of birth, death, old age, and so that they can be delivered back to their original home in the spiritual world. Sydney, Australia to Mendoza, Argentina Video For the Day From the Road in Sydney Answers by Citing the Vedic Version Request: Instructions...