Ultimate Self Realization

On 29 September 2018 I initiated six disciples here in Vrindavan: Saswata Adhikari became Sadbhuja Das. Monika Hurt became Mahalaksmi Devi Dasi. Shashikala Revannavar became Sasimukhi Devi Dasi. Diptibhen Rajeshbhai became Devahuti Devi Dasi. Mahadevi Inchal became Manjuali Devi Dasi. And Rattni Sharma became Rasamandala Devi Dasi. It is most auspicious to see these great souls making this commitment to solely and wholly live now as the totally sold out servants of Sri Guru and Sri Krishna for all of eternity. Such a vow elevates them to the highest plane of consciousness known as Krishna consciousness in which one becomes completely liberated from the clutches of birth, death, old age, and disease fully qualified to regain one's original transcendental identity in the pastimes of Lord Sri Krishna in that most wondrous spiritual sky where all forms of misery and ignorance are conspicuous by their absence. Here is the lecture I gave at the ceremony:​​​​​​​ Click Here to Hea

We should never forget that the purpose of the human form of life is self-realization, to become re-established in our original pure loving relationship with Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the source of our existence. Sadly sometimes persons who are ignorant of human life's purpose and who are totally frustrated with a life of material sense gratification sometimes commit suicide. They do not realize that this will make things even worse, that this will cause them to take their next birth as a ghost, an extremely hellish, nightmarish existence. Therefore those who are frustrated with a life of material sense gratification should instead take to the ultimate self-realization path of Krishna consciousness. This will liberate them from all miseries and enable them to taste unlmited bliss at every minute.​​​​​​​ Blissful Hare Krishnas Out to Save the World Video for the Day More Glories of Vrindavan Answers According to Vedic Wisdom Question: W

We have no one to blame for our suffering condition here in the material existence but ourselves. Instead of trying to put the blame on others we should therefore accept the full responsibility for our present predicament on our own shoulders. Taking this honest position will be the first step on our becoming liberated from the hell we have been going through since time immemorial. We are actually, factually the eternal servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is what we have always been. But we most foolishly made the mistake of trying to enjoy separately from Krishna. So now all we have really have to do is admit our foolish mistake and beg Lord Krishna to allow us back into full absorption in His loving service in all times, places, and circumstances with our every thought, word, and deed. This simple adjustment of consciousness will liberate us from all misery for all of eternity and enable us to always dance internally and externally in total ecstasy in the unlimited

​​​​​​​If we want to awaken pure love of Krishna within our hearts and become qualified for going back to home, back to Godhead when we leave our present material bodies, it is absolutely essential that we develop a service mood. This means that we should not render devotional service begrudgingly. We must instead always render devotional to Lord Sri Krishna and His pure devotees with great determination, enthusiasm, and patience. The easy way to develop this mood is to associate with and serve devotees who have already attained this mood. This one of many great advantages of being a member of ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Video for the Day It's Mystical! Answers According to Vedic Wisdom Question: How to Deal with Lack of Love? Srila Gurudeva, Namaskar, my obeisances to you. I am a kind of person who always want to give love to others without any expectations. Regardless of what kind of person the other is, how that person is speaking

My life's mission given to me by my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, is to become a pure devotee of Lord Sri Krishna qualified to see Him face to face and to deliver all the fallen, suffering souls of this world by bringing them back to their original transcendental position of pure devotional service, Krishna consciousness. However, due to my innumerable disqualifications it is not possible for me on my own strength to accomplish these two goals. But by the inconceivable loving mercy of my spiritual master these two goals are quite obtainable. Therefore I am simply falling down at his lotus feet and begging for his mercy that I now may become Krishna's spotlessly pure devotee and that I can now make the whole world Krishna conscious. Video for the Day Tune Into Your Actual Nature Answers According to Vedic Wisdom Question: Does God Really Exist? Is it that God really exists? I believe in karma, but I have lost hope in God bec

Don't be an idiot who spends his whole life serving only his temporary material body and the temporary material bodies of others, who has nothing left at the end of his life except for complete anxiety about where he is going. Instead take of advantage of enlightened teachers, not the fools and rascals, and make your life unlimitedly sublime. This is real intelligence, a much better option than idiocy. Don't you think? Blind Leading the Blind Video for the Day It's Time to Get Out of Illusion! Answers According to Vedic Wisdom Report: Chanting More or Less Dear Gurudeva, Chanting has been more or less. Göran Reply: Chant More and More My Dear Göran, Please accept my blessings. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Now instead of chanting more or less, making it chanting more and more and more. This will the secret of your success. I hope this meets you in the best of health and in an ecstatic mood. Your ever well-wisher, Sankarshan Das Adhikari

For the last fifty years, this means since 1968, I have been desiring to be instrumental for bringing about a total global spiritual revolution on this planet. As a 21 years old youth who was supposed to choose his career I was frustrated with life in the material world. I just could not find any niche in which to fit. Therefore I decided that my career would be to renounce the world and become a holy beggar in India. So I was in a philosophical process of denying everything material. But one night before I headed out for India I came to the realization that if I am denying everything I must also deny denial itself, at which point I must accept something transcendental to this material world. That's when I realized that my mission in life was to make a spiritual revolution on this planet. I tried on my own to do this for a two-and-half years with no success. But then I saw that His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder:Acharya of ISKCON, the Internation

Now we are back in Lord Sri Krishna's transcendental abode here in this material world. What could be more ecstatic than this? This transcendental abode is non-different from Lord Sri Krishna. So to be here in Sri Vrindavan dhama is to be in direct contact with Lord Sri Krishna at every minute. In this connection Srila Prabhupada has written as follows: "Akrura's journey to Vrindavana is exemplary. One who intends to visit Vrindavana should follow the ideal footsteps of Akrura and always think of the pastimes and activities of the Lord. As soon as one reaches the boundary of Vrndavana, he should immediately smear the dust of Vrindavana over his body without thinking of his material position and prestige. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura has sung in a celebrated song, visaya chadiya kabe suddha habe mana: 'When my mind will be purified after leaving the contamination of material sense enjoyment, I shall be able to visit Vrindavana.' Actually, one cannot go to Vrindav

Since all living beings are pleasure seekers everyone is looking for Krishna, whether they know it or not, because Krishna is the greatest pleasure. This is why connecting with Him is the perfection of happiness. The actual fact is that deep within their hearts everyone only desires Krishna and nothing else. But due to the influence of Maya they are looking for Krishna or the greatest pleasure in all the wrong places, and thus nobody here in this material world is satisfied. This is why Krishna's devotee, that person who is trying to awaken everyone to Krishna consciousness, is the best friend of all living beings. Srila Prabhupada Chanting with Hippies Video for the Day Check this Out! Answers According to Vedic Wisdom Question: When Did this Course Begin?​​​​​​​ Thank you enriching me with your invaluable emails from the Ultimate Self Realization Course. Could you please share when (the year and month) that you started the Ultimate Self Realization Course for bless

On Thursday 20 September 2018 we will be returning to the abode of Lord Sri Krishna here in this material world, Sri Vrindavan Dhama. What could be more ecstatic than this? To be in that place where Lord Sri Krishna displayed so many of His most intimate pastimes is the greatest blessing. By meditating upon and worshipping those pastimes the devotee of the Lord become qualified to enter into those divine pastimes as one of Lord Sri Krishna's intimate associates upon leaving his or her present material body. There is truly nothing more sublime than this! Blissing Out in the Land of Krishna Video for the Day How Rabindra Das Came to Krishna Consciousness Answers According to Vedic Wisdom Question: Worshipping the Demigods?​​​​​​​ Dear Srila Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances. I understand that the demigods are working for Lord Krishna as heads of various departments and are part of the material world. But since they are devotees of Lord Krishna we pay ob

By tuning into the bhakti channel (devotion to God) you will always be blissing out in all times, places, and circumstances. So why punish yourself by not tuning into bhakti? The choice is yours: suffer or enjoy. I hope you make the right choice because I can't stand seeing anybody in a state of misery. What do you think of my advice? Do think it is worthy of being followed? Or is it simply for going in one ear and coming out of the other ear? Blissing Out Under the Double Arches Video for the Day From London Answers According to Vedic Wisdom Question: Thinking that Guru is Only for Oneself?​​​​​​​ Dear Srila Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances. All Glories to Sri Sri Guru & Gauranga. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada. What if a disciple thinks that the spiritual master is for him/her only..not caring of how to engage the other disciples? Your servant Krishna Katha Das Answer: Guru is for the Whole World From: London, UK My Dear Krishna K

Sometimes in the course of traveling for spreading the teachings of Krishna all over the world we face difficult, hellish situations. But we do not let this stop us from pushing on with our mission. When one is fixed up in Krishna consciousness, even when he has to undergo hellish situations he experiences them as the sweetest nectar. Of course in our neophyte stage we do not always experience our difficulties like that. But in due course of time, if we persevere in our practice of Krishna consciousness, we will reach this stage of unlimited ecstasy, experiencing everything as the unlimited mercy of Lord Sri Krishna. Traveling is Sometimes Difficult Video for the Day The Way Out of Hell Answers According to Vedic Wisdom Question: Consciousness and Soul? Whats the difference between consciousness and soul? Buddhists believe in consciousness, and on the other hand all other religions believe in soul. So, Gurudeva, what is the difference between the two and how can we und

In 1971 when I was a young 22 year old newly initiated disciple my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada immediately recognized me as follows in letter he wrote me from London on 7 September 1971: "I can see also that you are a very sincere and enthusiastic boy and are anxious for spreading this movement. Those are first class qualifications for making advancement in Krishna Consciousness. So continue enthusiastically as you are doing and Krishna will surely bless you." Srila Prabhupada blessed me with the order to always be enthusiastic for spreading this Krishna consciousness movement. By his causeless mercy I have been able to maintain this enthusiasm without any gaps for 47 years. Now as a 70 year old man I am enthusiastic more than ever. I was preaching to a gentleman the other day at the Austin airport as I was waiting for our flight to London. When I mentioned to him that I am 70 he said that I don't look like I am 70. This you

Today is the transcendental appearance day of Srimati Rādhārāṇī. Those who are serious about awakening pure love of God within their hearts need to understand perfectly what is the mood of Srimati Rādhārāṇī. Rādhārāṇī's mood is that if Krishna is pleased when she is suffering, she desires to always remain in a suffering condition and that will be her greatest happiness. We can learn about Rādhārāṇī's mood by studying Lord Caitanya's mood because Lord Caitanya is Krishna Himself in the mood of Srimati Rādhārāṇī. Lord prays as follows in His prayer Śikṣāṣṭaka [8]: āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu mām marma-hatāṁ karotu vā yathā tathā vā vidadhātu lampaṭo mat-prāṇa-nāthas tu sa eva nāparaḥRādhārāṇī “My dear Lord, You trample me down as You like, or You embrace me as You like, or You make me broken-hearted, not being present before me, because I want to see You. I don't mind.” In this connection Srila Prabhupada explains as follows: Just like a debauched husband trea

Do not be cheated by the materialistic propaganda mongers, who constantly encouraging you to drink this, eat this, smoke this, and sex with this. They have a motive up their sleeves. They want to use you to provide them with more and more of their own material sense gratification. Instead of being under their influence, you should be under the influence of the great acaryas, the great saintly teachers, the spiritual masters who want to deliver you from all of your material suffering and take you back to home, back to Godhead, back to your original home in that most sublime and divine spiritual world. Modern Day Advertising Promotes Sinful Activities Video for the Day This You Must See! Answers According to Vedic Wisdom Question: How to Avoid Husband's Pride? Dear Srila Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to You and Gurumata. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! I hope this mail finds you well and in an ecstatic mood. I wa

You world leaders have got it all wrong. Due to your mismanagement you have created a nightmarish atmosphere on this planet. Under your so-called leadership 156 million innocent animals are being murdered every day and 66 thousand innocent babies are being murdered every day. The karmic reactions for this horrendous quantity of heinous murders is inconceivably staggering. Therefore, because of you all, all hell is breaking loose on this planet right now. And therefore it's time now more than ever for you all to become humble and become sober and take guidance on how to rule the world from those persons who are fully enlightened with Vedic knowledge, that knowledge which formerly guided the whole world how to live in perfect happiness for thousands and thousands of years. When are you all going to wake up and start doing your job correctly. When are you all going to wake up and take your guidance from the enlightened sages? When are you going to wake up and become actual human be

The title of today's Thought for the Day is indeed appropriate because this material is factually a hell. There's no doubt about it, and there is not much more to be said in this connection. Because we our nature is to enjoy we cannot tolerate living in a place where there is no enjoyment. Therefore in order to be able to psychologiclly we imagine ourselves to be enjoying at those times when are suffering is not as bad. This is why our happiness here in this material world is called maya-sukhaya or illusory happiness. Why Live in Hell When You Can Go Back to Godhead? Video for the Day From London Answers According to Vedic Wisdom Question: How to Overcome My Fault-Finding Propensity? Please accept my humble obeisances All glories to Srila Prabhupada I have a humble question though I am not humble at all... I am wondering how does one let go of the propensity to criticize others and to fault find? It is almost second nature and comes so easily to fault find i

We were originally situated in a state of pure bliss and knowledge in that most wondrous spiritual sky where no one gets sick, no one gets old, ands no one ever dies. But due to a foolish desire to be the Supreme we were facilitated by Lord Sri Krishna by residence in a world where everyone thinks himself to be the Supreme. Now if we are at all intelligent, even slightly intelligent, we will take advantage of Krishna's offer to qualify ourselves to back to His most sublime kingdom by taking shelter of the bona fide spiritual master to be properly trained in the mood of devotion. What Fool Would Want to Leave this Place? Video for the Day Make the Whole World Krishna Conscious Answers According to Vedic Wisdom Question: Why the Supreme Lord Put Us In This World? Salutations, I will like to know our purpose on this earth as humans. If we are to be with the Supreme Lord, then why did He put us in this world? Also what's our true purpose in this world? I believe Go

It has never been so painful for me to head out on another one of our international lecture tours. I usually look forward to them with great relish. Why the difference? Things are developing so wonderfully now in our Austin center that it is practically unthinkable for me to leave. But duty calls. Lord Sri Krishna has blessed me with disciples all over the world, and it is my sacred duty to take good care of them. Therefore we are traveling. Not only has Srila Prabhupada ordered me to make our Austin center a grand success. He has also ordered us to lead the whole world out of chaos by bringing the whole world to Krishna consciousness. So somehow or other both duties must go on side by side. I am begging for Lord Sri Krishna's help in this regard. The Whole World Is Waiting to Be Awakened Video for the Day Do Not Miss This! Answers According to Vedic Wisdom Question: Mantra Chanted by Shiva, Brahma, and Narada? Dear Guru Maharaja, What mantra does Lord Brahma, Lo

As a college youth I was totally bewildered because I did not know what is the meaning of life. I was supposed to choose what would be my career, what I wanted to be in life, a doctor, a lawyer, an electrical engineer, or whatever. But how could I decide what I wanted to be if I didn't even know who I am? This was my perplexity. In my coursework I was studying all the great philosophers of our western culture, but not one of them could answer the most basic question of why do I exist. It was not until I was blessed by hearing the teachings of Krishna, that I exist for the purpose of giving pleasure to Krishna or God by having loving relationship with Him, that my life made sense and I could enter into a state of genuine happiness. I am eternally grateful and indebted to my spiritual master, ISKCON Founder:Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Tridandi Goswami Maharaja Prabhupada, and to His Holiness Vishnujana Swami, who brought to the point of becoming Srila Prabhupada'

The secret of advancing rapidly on the path of Krishna bhakti is to everything with love. Never should something be done in an angry, frustrated mood. This means that you should always serve the guru and the Vaisnavas with love and chant Hare Krishna with love. Everything you do should be a loving offering to Krishna and His devotees. By doing so your life will be unlimitedly ecstatic. So why not adopt this as your modus operandi right now? It will be the smartest thing you ever did in millions and billions of lifetimes. Serving Devotees With Love Video for the Day Don't Miss This Answers According to Vedic Wisdom Question: How to Know that I Am Advancing? I have two questions: How can I know that I am advancing in Krishna consciousness? What are the methods of identifying a pure devotee? ​​​​​​​Saumya Bhattacharya Answer: When You Accept a Guru From: ISKCON Austin, Texas USA My Dear Saumya, Please accept my blessings. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Some philosophers, who are known as impersonalists, say that God has no form and no personality. While giving a lecture on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.5.18–19 on June 22, 1969 in New Vrindavan, West Virginia, USA Srila Prabhupada wonderfully explained the fallacy of impersonal philosophy. Here is an excerpt from that lecture: The impersonalists' view is that if everything is Kṛṣṇa... That is the... That is their material way of thinking. Just like if you take a big paper and, I mean to say, cut into pieces, and the pieces are distributed, strewn over, then the original paper is lost. So their theory is, "If Kṛṣṇa is everything—Kṛṣṇa has expanded in this world, in cosmic manifestation—then Kṛṣṇa has no form, separate form." That is their theory. But the Vedic injunction is: "No. It is not like that." Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate [Īśo Invocation] [The Personality of Godhead is perfect and complete, and because He is completely perfect, all emanations

The whole world is waiting to be awakened to Krishna consciousness because Krishna consciousness is the real inner nature of everyone and the only real pleasure that one can experience. All other types of pleasure are an illusion only, like a mirage in the desert. Thus they can only give an illusion of pleasure. They cannot give real pleasure. But the foolish people struggle like anything for their entire lives trying to squeeze pleasure out of that place where real pleasure does not exist. It is indeed a most pitiable situation. Therefore we must try to save them by bringing them to real pleasure of Krishna consciousness because deep within their hearts this is what they are all hankering for. A Mirage in the Desert Has No Real Water Video for the Day Watch This! Answers According to Vedic Wisdom Question: Knowledge of Other Worlds? Dear Sir, I have so many questions /doubts in the spiritual environment, which were not answered from anywhere. We are quoting stories

Srila Prabhupada wonderfully describes the perfection of love in his book, The Teachings of Lord Caitanya, in Chapter 11 as follows: "If one somehow or other gets in touch with a pure devotee and thus develops a desire to render devotional service to Krishna, he gradually rises to the platform of love of Godhead and is thus freed from the clutches of the material energy. This is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.20.8) where the Lord says, 'For one who, out of his own accord, becomes attracted to topics of My activities -- being neither allured nor repelled by material activities -- following the path of devotional service leading to the perfection of love of God becomes possible.' However, it is not possible to achieve the stage of perfection without being favored by a pure devotee, or a mahatma, a great soul. Without the mercy of a great soul, one cannot even be liberated from the material clutches, and what to speak of rising to the platform of love of Godhead."

Srila Prabhupada has to kindly taught us how to make the world happy. Here is how he revealed this to us in a lecture he gave in Mayapur, India on 1 April 1975: Prabhupada: So Vaikuntha-loka is there. There is no problem. But you can make this maya-loka also Vaikuntha-loka by spreading Krishna consciousness, the same quality. Just like iron is iron, but you can make it fire. How? Simply putting it into the fire. Gradually, warm, warmer, then it becomes red hot. At that time, the iron is no longer iron; it is fire. Similarly, if you can propagate Krishna consciousness constantly, then, by spreading this Krishna consciousness movement, you can make the whole world Krishna conscious, and then it will be Vaikuntha. The same example: You put the iron rod with the fire, and it becomes hot, hotter and then red hot. When it is red hot then it is no more iron rod; it is fire. Anywhere you touch, it will burn. So our Krishna consciousness movement is for that purpose. Increase Krishna consc