Ultimate Self Realization

When I was a young brahmacari in 1972 in the prasadam room of the ISKCON temple in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, USA I heard two brahmacaris singing this song "Constant Journey." This song so much inspired me that I have remembered it for half a century. Since I do not have a recording of them singing it I have sung and recorded it so that you all can hear it too. Click here for Constant Journey Email me if would like a downloaded copy: sd@worldleader.com Here are the lyrics: Constant Journey by Bali Mardan Dāsa Brahmacārī 1. This life is a constant journey, Prabhupāda’s the guiding star. We can see the way before us. Though the goal is very far. Chorus: Won’t you come along? Won’t you come along? Won’t you come along? Won’t you come along? 2. With the real Bhagavad-gītā We have started on the road. Wondering why those mundane wranglers Have to carry such a load. Chorus 3. And now with Prabhupāda to guide us We will traverse every curve On the path to Kṛṣṇaloka, Where Kṛṣṇa i

Srila Prabhupada explains as follows in his purport to Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, Adi Lila, Chapter 7, Text 83 as follows: "A sincere student aurally receives the holy name from the spiritual master, and after being initiated he follows the regulative principles given by the spiritual master. When the holy name is properly served in this way, automatically the spiritual nature of the holy name spreads; in other words, the devotee becomes qualified in offenselessly chanting the holy name. When one is completely fit to chant the holy name in this way, he is eligible to make disciples all over the world, and he actually becomes jagad-guru. Then the entire world, under his influence, begins to chant the holy names of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra." From this we can understand that by Srila Prabhupada's offenseless chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra the whole world will take up chanting Hare Krishna. Only time is separating us from that most glorious day when the whole world w

You are not your temporary, aging material body. And how old are you? Your age is infinity. And even though you are unlimitedly old, you are not a withered old senior citizen. You are instead an eternal youth qualitatively one with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna. As He is eternal, full of knowledge, and full of bliss, you are also eternal, full of knowledge, and full of bliss. Sankarshan Das Adhikari You Are One of Krishna's Associates Answers According to the Vedic Wisdom Question: How to Avoid Lusty Thoughts? Please accept my humble obeisances unto your feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Guru and Gauranga. What to do when lusty desires pop up in my mind? My mind becomes very agitated when lusty desires come, I cannot control it finally I end up seeing bad videos. Thus I am doomed and I become frustrated and angry with myself. What is the root cause of my condition? I don't want to see bad videos, but I cannot control my mind

At the present moment there is great disturbance on Planet Earth due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In the Bhagavad-gita Chapter Five, Text 29 Lord Sri Krishna gives the solution for this and all the world's problems. bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati "Only one who knows me as the owner and enjoyer of everything and as the most intimate well-wishing friend of all living beings can have peace from the pangs of material miseries." Russia thinks to now claim Ukraine as it's own. But actually everything in all of existence belongs to Krishna because it is all His emanated energy. Only when everyone recognizes Krishna as the owner of everything will we have true and lasting world peace. May that day come soon! May that day come soon! Sankarshan Das Adhikari False Overlordship Creates Misery Answers According to the Vedic Wisdom Question: How to Develop Faith in Guru? Hare Krishna Srila Gurudeva, P

In the Bhagavad-gita Chapter Six, Text 15 Lord Sri Krishna mentions the supreme nirvana (nirvāṇa-paramāṁ) or cessation of material sufferings, which is to be fully absorbed in His pure devotional service. In this topmost state of spiritual perfection one is no longer pinched by the three fold miseries or the four fold miseries of material existence. The threefold miseries are: 1. Miseries of the mind and body 2. Miseries caused by other living beings 3. Miseries caused by natural disturbances The fourfold miseries are: 1. Birth 2. Death 3. Old age 4. Disease Full absorption in Krishna consciousness situates one completely beyond these miseries. Even death is not disturbing for a person who is fully situated in Krishna consciousness. Those who are actually intelligent fully dedicate their lives for attaining this perfection of being 100% absorbed in Krishna consciousness in all times, places, and circumstances. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Krishna Consciousness is Unlimitedly Blissful

In his book "Dharma, the Way of Transcendence" Srila Prabhupada very nicely reminds us as follows: "When we are no longer cats and dogs but are human beings, we can understand, 'I am not this body; I am a spirit soul.' Therefore the Vedānta-sūtra says, athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Having achieved the human form of life, one should inquire into the Absolute Truth." The human body is achieved after transmigrating for many, many years through up to 8,000,000 lower forms of life. Therefore this life should not be spoiled by living like cats and dogs—simply eating, sleeping, defending, and engaging in sexual intercourse. These bodily demands are common to both animals and human beings. But what is the special facility of human life? The human being is eligible to understand what is the value of life, what are the problems of life, and how to make a solution to those problems. That is human life, not simply passing our days like cats and dogs, working very hard t

When Krishna subdued the Kaliya serpent, who been polluting the Yamuna river by his poison, by dancing on his hoods, his wives, the Nagapatnis, prayed to Lord Krishna as follows: “O dear Lord, You are equal to everyone. For You there is no distinction between Your sons, friends or enemies. Therefore the punishment which You have so kindly offered to Kāliya is exactly befitting. O Lord, You have descended especially for the purpose of annihilating all kinds of disturbing elements within the world, and because You are the Absolute Truth, there is no difference between Your mercy and Your punishment. We think, therefore, that this apparent punishment of Kāliya is actually some benediction. We consider that Your punishment is Your great mercy upon us because when You punish someone it is to be understood that the reactions of his sinful activities are eradicated. It is already clear that this creature appearing in the body of a serpent must have been overburdened with all kinds of sin; o

Just as by watering the root of tree all of its leaves and branches are nourished, in a similar way when we put Lord Sri Krishna as the center of all of our thoughts, words, and deeds all of our problems will become solved immediately. Plus if we can educate the general population to apply this principle in their lives, all of the world's problems will be solved immediately. So let us now fully embrace in our lives and educate the entire world population to follow this principle. What could be more ecstatic than this? Sankarshan Das Adhikari Watering the Tree Root Waters the Whole Tree Answers According to the Vedic Wisdom Question: If We Fall Down from the Bhakti Path? Dear Srila Gurudeva, Dandavat Pranam, Srila Prabhupad ki jai, What to do in case we fall down on the path of Krishna Consciousness? After falling down we repent that I should not have done it. Is there any hope that we become perfect and go back to Krishna in this lifetime? Daso 'smi Veshal Answer: Pick Y

In Bhagavad-gita As It Is ISKCON Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada wonderfully describes how a devotee is always peaceful even when he is in very distressful situations. He writes, "Whenever a devotee is in distress or has fallen into difficulty, he thinks that it is the Lord's mercy upon him. He thinks, 'Thanks to my past misdeeds I should suffer far, far greater than I am suffering now. So it is by the mercy of the Supreme Lord that I am not getting all the punishment I am due. I am just getting a little, by the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.' Therefore he is always calm, quiet and patient, despite many distressful conditions." We should train ourselves to always see things in this way so that we are always peaceful even in the most distressful situations. This is Krishna consciousness. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Krishna Consciousness is Unlimited Bliss Answers According to the Vedic Wisdom Question: Why Bad Peopl

After transmigrating through eight million non-human forms we have finally gotten the opportunity in this human form of life to escape this nightmarish cycle of birth, death, old age, and disease. Therefore it is the greatest foolishness in this human form of life if we do not fully dedicate ourselves to becoming self-realized. This is why it is stated in the Vedānta-sūtra "athāto brahma jijñāsā", which means, "Now that we have achieved this human form of life we must inquire about the Supreme Absolute Truth." By following this Vedic injunction to become serious about self-realization our lives will be unlimitedly glorious and we will be empowered to engage in the highest welfare activity for those unfortunate living beings who are suffering due to their being caught up in the wheel of birth and death. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Utilize the Rare Human Birth for Its Ultimate Purpose Answers According to the Vedic Wisdom Question: Simple Formula For Attaining Moksha?

Regarding the cause and solution for war Srila Prabhupada explains as follows in his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam, First Canto, Chapter 10, Text 2: "This world is compared to a forest fire caused by the cohesion of bamboo bushes. Such a forest fire takes place automatically, for bamboo cohesion occurs without external cause. Similarly, in the material world the wrath of those who want to lord it over material nature interacts, and the fire of war takes place, exhausting the unwanted population. Such fires or wars take place, and the Lord has nothing to do with them. But because He wants to maintain the creation, He desires the mass of people to follow the right path of self-realization, which enables the living beings to enter into the kingdom of God. The Lord wants the suffering human beings to come back home, back to Him, and cease to suffer the threefold material pangs. The whole plan of creation is made in that way, and one who does not come to his senses suffers in the mater

If we want to excel in Krishna consciousness, we must always seeking devotional service, and when we complete that service always be asking, "Is there anything else I can do?". In this way by our sincere, enthusiastic service mood we can capture Krishna. He will be greatly pleased with our service. In other words when we agree to be captured by Krishna, He will reciprocate by being agreed to captured by us. So we should not be in the mood of "When can I get free from having to do this?". Our mood should be, "How can i get more and more of this." If we always live our lives in this mood, they will be ever-increasingly sublime. So let us not hesitate. Let's embrace this mood right now. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Unlimited Bliss Associating with Srila Prabhupada Answers According to the Vedic Wisdom Question: Simple Formula For Attaining Moksha? Namaste, Guruji, Is chanting Hare Krishna mantra enough to attain moksha? How will I come to know that chanti

When Srila Prabhupada started ISKCON in a tiny storefront in a run down neighborhood in New York in 1966 he envisioned a movement that would go down in history for saving the world in its darkest hour of despair. And we've seen how for over a half a century how his prediction is gradually becoming more and more true. Someday in the most sublime transcendental future it will 100% true. Here is a super ecstatic pastime told by one his first disciples from the early days at 26 Second Ave to make your day one of the most enlivening days of your entire life: "Srila Prabhupada was lecturing from the Bhagavad-gita then, incredibly, midway through the lecture, an old white-haired begrizzled Bowery bum entered the storefront and walked right through the middle of the room, past all of us who sat in shocked silence, and on up towards Srila Prabhupada, who sat beneath the back windows. I didn’t know what he was about to do, but I noticed that he was carrying a package of paper handto

Śrī Yāmunācārya, a great saint and devotee, who said: yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-pādāravinde nava-nava-rasa-dhāmany udyataṁ rantum āsīt tad-avadhi bata nārī-saṅgame smaryamāne bhavati mukha-vikāraḥ suṣṭhu niṣṭhīvanaṁ ca "Since my mind has been engaged in the service of the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and I have been enjoying an ever new transcendental humor, whenever I think of sex life with a woman, my face at once turns from it, and I spit at the thought." In this regard Srila Prabhupada explains as follows in his purport to Bhagavad-gita, Chapter 2, Text 60; "Kṛṣṇa consciousness is such a transcendentally nice thing that automatically material enjoyment becomes distasteful. It is as if a hungry man had satisfied his hunger by a sufficient quantity of nutritious eatables." Therefore if we take this process seriously, our lives will be unlimitedly sublime. There is no need for any sense enjoyment beyond what is required to keep body and soul together. Sankarsha

Here is the most wonderful lecture given by our beloved Srila Prabhupada on Śrī Gaura-Pūrṇimā, the Appearance Day of Lord Caitanya, recorded in Mayapur, West Bengal, India on 16 March 1976: Click here to hear the lecture Śāstrījī : [chants mantras] Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [devotees repeat] Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 7.9.38 [chants verse; Prabhupāda and devotees respond] itthaṁ nṛ-tiryag-ṛṣi-deva-jhaṣāvatārair lokān vibhāvayasi haṁsi jagat pratīpān dharmaṁ mahā-puruṣa pāsi yugānuvṛttaṁ channaḥ kalau yad abhavas tri-yugo 'tha sa tvam Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa : "In this way, my Lord, You have appeared in different incarnations—as human beings, as animals, as a great saintly person, as demigods and as a fish and a tortoise. In this way You maintain the whole creation in different planetary systems and kill the demoniac principles in every age. My Lord, You therefore protect the principles of religion. In the age of Kali You do not a

Do not cheat yourself by misidentification with your material body, which is subject to the fourfold miseries of birth, death, old age, and disease. Instead reward yourself by identifying with your actual self, which is eternal, full of knowledge, and full of bliss and which is constitutionally the eternal servant of Krishna or God. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Be Full of Bliss Instead of Full of Misery Answers According to the Vedic Wisdom Question: How to Have Career and Also Serve Krishna? Hare Krishna, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I have a doubt that in this material world everyone has their goals especially in career. Likewise I also have a goal that I want to build a successful business. Whenever I think about my goal it makes me seem like a materialistic person. Everyone has some occupation in the world and they do what they like to do. I also want to serve Krishna, but this seems difficult when I think about career and earning money. So wha

Lord Sri Krishna very wonderfully reveals to us in Bhagavad-gita, Chapter 2, Text 70 as follows: āpūryamāṇam acala-pratiṣṭhaṁ samudram āpaḥ praviśanti yadvat tadvat kāmā yaṁ praviśanti sarve sa śāntim āpnoti na kāma-kāmī "A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires—that enter like rivers into the ocean, which is ever being filled but is always still—can alone achieve peace, and not the man who strives to satisfy such desires." Srila Prabhupada gives the following wonderful purport: "Although the vast ocean is always filled with water, it is always, especially during the rainy season, being filled with much more water. But the ocean remains the same—steady; it is not agitated, nor does it cross beyond the limit of its brink. That is also true of a person fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As long as one has the material body, the demands of the body for sense gratification will continue. The devotee, however, is not disturbed by such desires, because of his

We are seeing so many horrors of modern day war now in Ukraine and in other places. So many civilians are being killed and so many homes are being destroyed. But in Vedic times war was not like this. In those days the civilians were not in any way disturbed if a war was going on, They went about their activities as usual. The only impact the war had on them would be that if their king lost the war they would pay their taxes to a different king. Near the battlefield a farmer could be peacefully tilling the land completely free from any anxiety. Also the wars would not drag on and on. They would be finished in a few days, just like the battle of Kurukshetra was finished in just 18 days. But since we are now in Kali yuga, the age of wars and hypocrisy, we even base our history on wars. Just like when I was student in high school I was taught American history as a series of wars: the War of Independence, the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War 1, and World War 2. If these fools and ra

Sometimes devotees are criticized for being too harsh or too hard. But those who criticize do not realize that both the soft and hard dealings of the devotees are equally their loving mercy. Whether we are praised or chastised by the devotees both are equally auspicious. In fact sometimes, to be chastised is considered to be more auspicious. In this connection Srila Prabhupada in an evening conversation in Jagannatha Puri on 25 January 1977 explained, "A student who is more chastised is advanced." He quoted Lord Caitanya who said, "My spiritual master saw Me a grand fool. Therefore he has chastised Me." Srila Prabhupada then said, "That is the position. The more we remain a grand fool, then more we may advance in spiritual consciousness." When we are chastised this very good because it reminds us that we are grand fools. As explained in the Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, Madhya-lila, Chapter 7, Text 73 the softness of a flower and the hardness of a thunde