We've Got to Revolutionize this Planet Right Now

The world is in desperate need of a spiritual revolution. There is no other solution for planetary dissolution than to re-spiritualize this planet right now. This was one the main themes of the concert I did in Vilnius, Lithuania on 20 April, 2018. The audience was very appreciative. Many of my books were sold after the concert. We are praying that the whole world will now awaken to Krishna consciousness so that people all over the world can peaceful and happy.

(Note: A video is coming soon of the concert. I can do such concerts anywhere in the world. Simply my students have to organize them.)

Music Concert in Vilnius, Lithuania--20 April 2018
Television Interview Before Concert

Singing "The Peace Formula"

Attentive, Appreciative Audience

Video for the Day

Why Watch the News, When You Can Be the News?

Answers According to Vedic Wisdom

Question: Unable to Live According to Scriptures

Guruji,I am 52 years old. I have gone through Bhagavad-gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata, and other books. I read all these granthas carefully, but when it comes to my own life I feel strongly that I cannot adopt them into my practical life. Hence I find myself unsuccessful in my life and always in a bewildered mind. I trust God, but God doesn't find any spark within me.
Guruji kindly guide me what I should do in this situation?
Regards,
P.W.

Answer: Follow These Guidelines

Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita you must serve Him under the guidance of the bona-fide spiritual master. He are the practical guidelines we instruct our students to follow in order for them to become properly situated in spiritual life:

The Vedic wisdom states emphatically “athato brahma jijnasa” “The goal of the human form of life is to become fully self-realized.” There is nothing more important than this. Indeed this should be the one goal of everyone’s life. Without it there is no question of genuine happiness. As long as our happiness is based on a false bodily conception of who we are we can never fully be satisfied. Self-realization means to realize the eternal spiritually being who you really are, Who is the Supreme Self, and what is your relationship with the Supreme Self. By careful research of the vast treasure house of India’s Vedic wisdom supported by thoughtful philosophical analysis we can see very clearly that the Supreme Self is Lord Krishna and that we are His eternal servants. So self-realization ultimately means to perfect the art of being the fully surrendered devotee of Lord Sri Krishna. Self-realization is therefore the art or science of becoming fully Krishna conscious.

How does Krishna instruct us to master the art of fully surrendering unto Him? He tells us to take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master through the process of submissive inquiry and service. The bona fide spiritual master carefully and lovingly guides the disciple at every step along the pathway to perfection. Krishna also advises us to associate with and lovingly serve His devotees because they are His representatives. Through our loving relationship with the bonafide spiritual master and Lord Krishna’s devotees we can solidly fix ourselves in Krishna consciousness and be always happy in spiritual bliss under all circumstances.

Krishna consciousness is the easiest to practice when one lives in or near one of the centers of ISKCON, the Hare Krishna Movement. You will find a list of these centers at: http://www.iskcon.com

These are places where the residents are diligently striving in all of their activities at every minute to perfect their Krishna consciousness. But since this may not be practical for everyone it is possible that one can perfect the science of Krishna consciousness at home in the same way as someone living in a Hare Krishna center. Taking help from the scriptures and the spiritual master you can convert your home into a Krishna temple, an ashram (a place of spiritual cultivation.)

Spiritual life, like material life, means practical activity. The difference is that whereas we perform material activities for the benefit of our material body and the material bodies of others, we perform spiritual activities for the benefit of Lord Krishna, under the guidance of the scriptures and the spiritual master. This is compared to watering the root of a tree. When you water the root of a tree all the leaves and branches automatically become nourished. Krishna is the root of the creation. When you serve Lord Krishna you automatically render the best service to all living entities.

Krishna declares in the Bhagavad-gita that a person can achieve neither happiness nor the supreme destination of life -- going back to Godhead, back to Lord Krishna -- if he or she does not follow the injunctions of the scriptures. And how to follow the scriptural rules by engaging in practical service to the Lord -- that is explained by a bona fide spiritual master.

Without following the instructions of a spiritual master who is in an authorized chain of disciplic succession coming from Krishna Himself, we cannot make spiritual progress. The practices outlined here are the timeless practices of bhakti-yoga as given by one of the greatest exponents of bhakti-yoga in the history of the world, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Through his teachings Srila Prabhupada is the instructing spiritual master for the entire world. Representing him is the spiritual master known as the “initiating guru.” He is your personal mentor and guide, a spiritual father who will help you step by step as you progress along the pathway back to Godhead.

The purpose of spiritual knowledge is to bring us closer to God, or Krishna. Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita (18.55), bhaktya mam abhijanati: "I can be known only by devotional service." Knowledge guides us in proper action. Spiritual knowledge directs us to satisfy the desires of Krishna through practical engagements in His loving service. Without practical application, theoretical knowledge is of little value.

Spiritual knowledge is meant to direct us in all aspects of life. We should endeavor, therefore, to organize our lives in such a way as to follow Krishna's teachings as far as possible. We should try to do our best, to do more than is simply convenient. Then it will be possible for us to rise to the transcendental plane of Krishna consciousness, even while living far from a Hare Krishna center.

Chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra

The first principle in devotional service is to chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra (maha means "great"; mantra means “sound that liberates the mind from ignorance"):

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

You can chant these holy names of the Lord anywhere and at any time, but it is best to set a specific time of the day to regularly chant. Early morning hours are ideal. The chanting can be done in two ways: singing the mantra, called kirtan (usually done in a group), and saying the mantra to oneself, called japa (which literally means "to speak softly"). Concentrate on hearing the sound of the holy names. As you chant, pronounce the names clearly and distinctly, addressing Krishna in a prayerful mood.

When your mind wanders, bring it back to the sound of the Lord's names. Chanting is a prayer to Krishna that means "O energy of the Lord [Hare], O all-attractive Lord [Krishna], O Supreme Enjoyer [Rama], please engage me in Your service." The more attentively and sincerely you chant these names of God, the more spiritual progress you will make.

Since God is all-powerful and all-merciful, He has kindly made it very easy for us to chant His names, and He has also invested all His powers in them. Therefore the names of God and God Himself are identical. This means that when we chant the holy names of Krishna and Rama we are directly associating with God and being purified. Therefore we should always try to chant with devotion and reverence. The Vedic literature states that Lord Krishna is personally dancing on your tongue when you chant His holy name.

When you chant alone, it is best to chant on japa beads. These are available at your nearest Hare Krishna center or from: http://store.krishna.com/

This not only helps you fix your attention on the holy name, but it also helps you count the number of times you chant the mantra daily. Each strand of japa beads contains 108 small beads and one large bead, the head bead. Begin on a bead next to the head bead and gently roll it between the thumb and middle finger of your right hand as you chant the full Hare Krishna mantra. Then move to the next bead and repeat the process. In this way, chant on each of the 108 beads until you reach the head bead again. This is one round of japa. Then, without chanting on the head bead, reverse the beads and start your second round on the last bead you chanted on.

Initiated devotees vow before the spiritual master to chant at least sixteen rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily. But even if you can chant only one round a day, the principle is that once you commit yourself to chanting that round, you should try complete it every day without fail. When you feel you can chant more, then increase the minimum number of rounds you chant each day -- but don't fall below that number. You can chant more than your fixed number, but you should maintain a set minimum each day.

Once you become steady in chanting at least 16 rounds every day, along with following the four regulative principles mentioned later in this article, you may request the spiritual master to formally initiate you as his disciple. This is most auspicious turning point in one’s eternal existence. At the time of initiation the spiritual master will relieve you from all your karma accrued over millions of lifetimes in the cycle of birth and death. You will agree to always follow his instructions and he will commit himself to personally taking you back to the spiritual world.

Please note that the beads are sacred and therefore should never touch the ground or be put in an unclean place. To keep your beads clean, it's best to carry them in a special bead bag, which comes along with your beads when you acquire them from: http://store.krishna.com/

Aside from chanting japa, you can also sing the Lord's holy names in kirtan. While you can perform kirtan individually, it is generally performed with others. A melodious kirtan with family or friends is sure to enliven everyone. ISKCON devotees use traditional melodies and instruments, especially in the temple, but you can chant to any melody and use any musical instruments to accompany your chanting. As Lord Caitanya said, "There are no hard and fast rules for chanting Hare Krishna." One thing you might want to do, however, is purchase a japa and/or kirtan CD from your nearest Hare Krishna center or from: http://store.krishna.com/

Setting Up Your Altar

You will likely find that your japa and kirtan are especially effective when done before an altar. Lord Krishna and His pure devotees are so kind that they allow us to worship them even through their pictures. It is something like mailing a letter: You cannot mail a letter by placing it in just any box; you must use the mailbox authorized by the government. Similarly, we cannot imagine a picture of God and worship that, but we can worship the authorized picture of God, and Krishna accepts our worship through that picture.

Setting up an altar at home means receiving the Lord and His pure devotees as your most honored guests. Where should you set up the altar? Well, how would you seat a guest? An ideal place would be clean, well lit, and free from drafts and household disturbances. Your guest, of course, would need a comfortable chair, but for the picture of Krishna's form a wall shelf, a mantelpiece, a corner table, or the top shelf of a bookcase will do.

You wouldn't seat a guest in your home and then ignore him; you'd provide a place where you can sit, too, where you could comfortably face him and enjoy his company. So don't make your altar inaccessible.

What do you need for an altar? Here are the essentials when you first begin:

1. A picture of Srila Prabhupada.

2. A picture of Lord Caitanya and His associates.

3. A picture of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna.

You may order the above photographs from: http://store.krishna.com/

In addition, you may want an altar cloth, water cups (one for each picture), candles with holders, a special plate for offering food, a small bell, incense, an incense holder, and fresh flowers, which you may offer in vases or simply place before each picture.

The first person we worship on the altar is our spiritual master. He is not God. Only God is God. But because the spiritual master is His dearmost servant, Krishna or God has empowered him as a representative. Therefore he deserves the same respect as that given to God. He links us with God and teaches us the process of bhakti-yoga. He is God's ambassador to the material world. When a president sends an ambassador to a foreign country, the ambassador receives the same respect as that accorded the president, and the ambassador's words are as authoritative as the president's. Similarly, we should respect the spiritual master as we would God, and revere his words as we would His.

First we worship the founder of the Hare Krishna Movement, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada was a specially empowered guru who accomplished what no other in the history of the world was able to do. In the short time span of eleven years he spread Krishna consciousness all over the world and made “Hare Krishna” a household word. He is the most famous and glorified of all the ISKCON spiritual masters as the Founder-Acharya

Srila Prabhupada is the instructing spiritual master for every member of the Hare Krishna movement throughout the world. It is his books, which are the philosophical basis of the movement. They will stand as spiritual law books for generation after generation of devotees going on for thousands and thousands of years. Within the worldwide Hare Krishna Movement there are many initiating gurus for the many, many thousands of devotees throughout the world. But there is one guru who unites us all into one family. That is His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.

The second picture on your altar should be one of the panca-tattva, Lord Caitanya and His four leading associates. Lord Caitanya is the incarnation of God for this age. He is Krishna Himself, descended in the form of His own devotee to teach us how to surrender to Him, specifically by chanting His holy names and performing other activities of bhakti-yoga. Lord Caitanya is the most merciful incarnation, for He makes it easy for anyone to attain love of God through the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra.

And of course your altar should have a picture of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, with His eternal consort, Srimati Radharani. Srimati Radharani is Krishna's spiritual potency. She is devotional service personified, and devotees always take shelter of Her to learn how to serve Krishna.

You can arrange the pictures in this manner. In the center and to the back place the picture of Radha and Krishna. On the front left place Srila Prabhuada’s picture. On the far right place Panca Tattva. You should purchase the nicest quality picture frames you can afford as a way of expressing your devotion to Guru and Krishna.

Aerial view:

                  Radha Krishna

Srila                                                 

Prabhupada                        Panca Tattva

Carefully clean the altar each morning. Cleanliness is essential in Deity worship. Remember, you wouldn't neglect to clean the room of an important guest, and when you establish an altar you invite Krishna and His pure devotees to reside as the most exalted guests in your home. If you have water cups, rinse them out and fill them with fresh water daily. Then place them conveniently close to the pictures. You should remove flowers in vases as soon as they're slightly wilted, or daily if you've offered them at the base of the pictures. You should offer fresh incense at least once a day, and, if possible, light candles and place them near the pictures when you're chanting before the altar.

Please try the things we've suggested so far. It's very simple, really: If you try to love God, you'll gradually realize how much He loves you. That's the essence of bhakti-yoga.

Prasadam: How to Eat Spiritually

By His immense transcendental energies, Krishna can actually convert matter into spirit. If we place an iron rod in a fire, before long the rod becomes red hot and acts just like fire. In the same way, food prepared for and offered to Krishna with love and devotion becomes completely spiritualized. Such food is called Krishna prasadam, which means "the mercy of Lord Krishna."

Eating prasadam is a fundamental practice of bhakti-yoga. In other forms of yoga one must artificially repress the senses, but the bhakti-yogi can engage his or her senses in a variety of pleasing spiritual activities, such as tasting delicious food offered to Lord Krishna. In this way the senses gradually become spiritualized and bring the devotee more and more transcendental pleasure by being engaged in devotional service. Such spiritual pleasure far surpasses any material experience.

Lord Caitanya said of prasadam, "Everyone has tasted these foods before. However, now that they have been prepared for Krishna and offered to Him with devotion, these foods have acquired extraordinary tastes and uncommon fragrances. Just taste them and see the difference in the experience! Apart from the taste, even the fragrance pleases the mind and makes one forget any other fragrance. Therefore, it should be understood that the spiritual nectar of Krishna's lips must have touched these ordinary foods and imparted to them all their transcendental qualities."

Eating only food offered to Krishna is the perfection of vegetarianism. In itself, being a vegetarian is not enough; after all, even pigeons and monkeys are vegetarians. But when we go beyond vegetarianism to a diet of prasadam, our eating becomes helpful in achieving the goal of human life -- reawakening the soul's original relationship with God. In the Bhagavad-gita Lord Krishna says that unless one eats only food that has been offered to Him in sacrifice, one will suffer the reactions of karma.

How to Prepare and Offer Prasadam

As you walk down the supermarket aisles selecting the foods you will offer to Krishna, you need to know what is offerable and what is not. In the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna states, "If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water, I will accept it." From this verse it is understood that we can offer Krishna foods prepared from milk products, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and grains. (Write to Temple Services for one of the many Hare Krishna cookbooks.) Meat, fish, and eggs are not offerable. And a few vegetarian items are also forbidden -- garlic and onions, for example, which are in the mode of darkness. (Hing, or asafetida, is a tasty substitute for them in cooking and is available at most Indian groceries or from Temple Services.) Nor can you offer to Krishna coffee or tea that contain caffeine. If you like these beverages, purchase caffeine-free coffee and herbal teas.

While shopping, be aware that you may find meat, fish, and egg products mixed with other foods; so be sure to read labels carefully. For instance, some brands of yogurt and sour cream contain gelatin, a substance made from the horns, hooves, and bones of slaughtered animals. Also, make sure the cheese you buy contains no rennet, an enzyme extracted from the stomach tissues of slaughtered calves. Most hard cheese sold in America contains rennet, so be careful about any cheese you can't verify as rennetless.

Also avoid foods cooked by non-devotees. According to the subtle laws of nature, the cook acts upon the food not only physically but mentally as well. Food thus becomes an agent for subtle influences on your consciousness. The principle is the same as that at work with a painting: a painting is not simply a collection of strokes on a canvas but an expression of the artist's state of mind, which affects the viewer. So if you eat food cooked by non-devotees -- employees working in a factory, for example -- then you're sure to absorb a dose of materialism and karma. So as far as possible use only fresh, natural ingredients.

In preparing food, cleanliness is the most important principle. Nothing impure should be offered to God; so keep your kitchen very clean. Always wash your hands thoroughly before entering the kitchen. While preparing food, do not taste it, for you are cooking the meal not for yourself but for the pleasure of Krishna. Arrange portions of the food on dinnerware kept especially for this purpose; no one but the Lord should eat from these dishes. The way to offer your food is to chant each of the following prayers three times while ringing a bell in your left hand. You need only recite the Sanskrit. The English translation is given for your information.

1. Prayer to Srila Prabhupada:

nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine
nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine

"I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet. Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism."

2. Prayer to Lord Caitanya:

namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te
krsnaya krsna-caitanya-namne gaura-tvise namah
[Cc. Madhya 19.53]

"O most munificent incarnation! You are Krishna Himself appearing as Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. You have assumed the golden color of Srimati Radharani, and You are widely distributing pure love of Krishna. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You."

3. Prayer to Lord Krishna:

namo brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca
jagad-dhitaya krsnaya govindaya namo namah

"I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Krishna, who is the worshipable Deity for all brahmanas, the well-wisher of the cows and the brahmanas, and the benefactor of the whole world. I offer my repeated obeisances to the Personality of Godhead, known as Krishna and Govinda."

Remember that the real purpose of preparing and offering food to the Lord is to show your devotion and gratitude to Him. Krishna accepts your devotion, not the physical offering itself. God is complete in Himself -- He doesn't need anything -- but out of His immense kindness He allows us to offer food to Him so that we can develop our love for Him.

After offering the food to the Lord, wait at least five minutes for Him to partake of the preparations. Then you should transfer the food from the special dinnerware and wash the dishes and utensils you used for the offering. Now you and any guests may eat the prasadam. While you eat, try to appreciate the spiritual value of the food. Remember that because Krishna has accepted it, it is nondifferent from Him, and therefore by eating it you will become purified.

Everything you offer on your altar becomes prasadam, the mercy of the Lord. Flowers, incense, the water, the food -- everything you offer for the Lord's pleasure becomes spiritualized. The Lord enters into the offerings, and thus the remnants are nondifferent from Him. So you should not only deeply respect the things you've offered, but you should distribute them to others as well. Distribution of prasadam is an essential part of everyday life.

The Four Regulative Principles

Anyone serious about progressing in Krishna consciousness must try to avoid the following four sinful activities:

1. Eating meat, fish, or eggs. These foods are saturated with the modes of passion and ignorance and therefore cannot be offered to the Lord. A person who eats these foods participates in a conspiracy of violence against helpless animals and thus stops his spiritual progress dead in its tracks.

2. Gambling. Gambling invariably puts one into anxiety and fuels greed, envy, and anger.

3. The use of intoxicants. Drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, as well as any drinks or foods containing caffeine, cloud the mind, overstimulate the senses, and make it impossible to understand or follow the principles of bhakti-yoga.

4. Illicit sex. This is sex outside of marriage or sex in marriage for any purpose other than procreation. Sex for pleasure compels one to identify with the body and takes one far from Krishna consciousness. The scriptures teach that sex is the most powerful force binding us to the material world. Anyone serious about advancing in Krishna consciousness should minimize sex or eliminate it entirely.

Engagement in Practical Devotional Service

Everyone must do some kind of work, but if you work only for yourself you must accept the karmic reactions of that work. As Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita (3.9), "Work done as a sacrifice for Visnu [Krishna] has to be performed. Otherwise work binds one to the material world."

You needn't change your occupation, except if you're now engaged in a sinful job such as working as a butcher or bartender. If you're a writer, write for Krishna; if you're an artist, create for Krishna; if you're a secretary, type for Krishna. You may also directly serve the spiritual master in your spare time, and you should sacrifice some of the fruits of your work by contributing a portion of your earnings to help support your local ISKCON cnenthe spiritual master’s preaching work of spreading Krishna consciousness all over the world. Some devotees living outside the temple buy Hare Krishna literature and distribute it to their friends and associates, or they engage in a variety of services at the temple. There is also a wide network of devotees who gather in each other's homes for chanting, worship, and study. Write to your local temple or the Society's secretary to learn of any such programs near you.

Additional Devotional Principles

There are many more devotional practices that can help you become Krishna conscious. Here are two vital ones:

Studying Hare Krishna literature

Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON, dedicated much of his time to writing books such as the Bhagavad-gita, the Srimad-Bhagavatam, and many others. Hearing the words -- or reading the writings -- of a realized spiritual master is an essential spiritual practice. So try to set aside some time every day to read Srila Prabhupada's books. You can order them from: http://store.krishna.com/

Associating with devotees

Srila Prabhupada established the Hare Krishna movement to give people in general the chance to associate with devotees of the Lord. This is the best way to gain faith in the process of Krishna consciousness and become enthusiastic in devotional service. Conversely, maintaining intimate connections with nondevotees slows one's spiritual progress. So try to visit the Hare Krishna center nearest you as often as possible.

Preparing for Initiation

Once you have been able to steadily maintain chanting 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna daily on your japa beads along with strictly following the four regulative principles you may firmly commit your heart to a disciple of Srila Prabhupada from whom you will accept formal spiritual initiation. Notify the spiritual master of your desire to be his disciple and then notify your local ISKCON leader who will then administer a written or oral exam to make sure you have a basic understanding of Srila Prabhupada’s teachings. Once you have notified the spiritual master and have passed the exam you may then formally worship your spiritual master by placing his photograph on your altar as follows:

Aerial view:

                              Radha Krishna

Your      Srila                                                 

Guru     Prabhupada                        Panca Tattva

You can arrange the pictures in this manner. In the center and to the back place the picture of Radha and Krishna. On the front left place your guru’s picture. To your guru’s right place Srila Prabhupada. On the far right place Panca Tattva. You should purchase the nicest quality picture frames you can afford as a way of expressing your devotion to Guru and Krishna.

And when offering prasadam you should also chant your guru’s pranam mantra before the other three prayers given above.

nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate –(insert your guru’s name here)--iti namine

"I offer my respectful obeisances unto (insert your guru’s name here), who is very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet."

Initiation

After another six months of steadily being engaged in chanting at least 16 rounds a day and following the regulative principles, and with the approval of the appropriate ISKCON authority, the disciple can then request the spiritual master to formally initiate him/her as a disciple. This marks the beginning of one’s rapid progress on the pathway back to home, back to Godhead.

In Closing

The beauty of Krishna consciousness is that you can take as much as you're ready for. Krishna Himself promises in the Bhagavad-gita (2.40), "There is no loss or diminution in this endeavor, and even a little advancement on this path protects one from the most fearful type of danger." So bring Krishna into your daily life, and we guarantee you'll feel the benefit.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari