krsna

Sanga by BV Tripurari Swami Volume VI, No. 7 Rasika Darsana "On numerous occasions my Guru Maharaja expressed an affinity for sakhya rasa, and in my experience many of his disciples have an undeveloped but natural attraction for this spiritual sentiment." We commonly hear that all the gurus in the Gaudiya sampradaya are in manjari bhava. However some devotees point to Srila Prabhupada's Prayer to the Lotus Feet of Krsna as evidence that his spiritual identity in Krsna lila is that of sakhya bhava. What are your thoughts on this? According to Rupa Gosvami, sakhya-rati is presided over by Upendra. Can you offer an explanation of this? Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's principal associate Sri Nityananda Prabhu is known as akrodha paramananda nityananda-raya, which means that he is always joyful in transcendental bliss and never becomes angry. However it is narrated in the book Nityananda-caritamrta that Nityananda Prabhu visited a Buddhist monastery and found the Buddhists all sitting together. The Lord then asked a question and when no one replied he became angry and kicked the Buddhists in the head. I find this quite confusing. Why did such an uncharacteristic display of anger come from Nityananda Prabhu? Souls emanating from Balarama are said to be replete with knowledge (nitya siddha), while those emanating from Maha-Visnu are lacking in knowledge (nitya-baddha). Is this due to Balarama being a greater manifestation of Krsna? Ramananda Raya, the associate of Sri Chaitanya, is said to be Arjuna and Visaka sakhi simultaneously. How are we to understand this and which Arjuna is being referred to, the cowherd friend of Krsna in Vraja lila or the warrior friend of Krsna of Bhagavad-gita fame? Q. We commonly hear that all the gurus in the line of Sri Rupa Goswami (the Gaudiya sampradaya) are in a type of conjugal love with Krsna known as manjari bhava. However some devotees point to the following prayer written by Srila Prabhupada as evidence that his spiritual identity in Krsna lila was that of a cowherd boy in sakhya bhava (friendly love). What are your thoughts on this? "O my dear brother! Meeting you again I will experience great joy. Wandering about the pastures and fields, I will pass the entire day with you tending the cows. Joking with you and frolicking throughout so many forests of Vraja, I will roll upon the ground in spiritual ecstasy. When, oh when will that day be mine?" (Prayer to the Lotus Feet of Krsna) A. Most of the gurus and siddhas in our sampradaya have an affinity for manjari bhava, but there are some exceptions. Siddhas such as Vamsidasa babaji and Srila Prabhupada's godbrother, Akincana Krsnadasa babaji are examples. The diksa guru of Syamananda dasa, Hrdaya Caitanya, was in sakhya rasa. Indeed, the Gaudiya sampradaya began when the dvadasa gopalas (twelve cowherd friends of Krsna) appeared with Nitai and Gaura and began initiating disciples. So there is no prohibition in the Gaudiya sampradaya against having a guru in sakhya rasa, and if you have a sat guru who is situated in sakhya rasa, it is not a problem. On numerous occasions my Guru Maharaja expressed an affinity for sakhya rasa, and in my experience many of his disciples have an undeveloped but natural attraction for this spiritual sentiment. Pujyapada Sridhara Deva Goswami considered him to be in sakhya-rati. However, to harmonize the sentiments of some of his disciples, Srila Sridhara Maharaja also said it is possible that Srila Prabhupada veiled his sentiments for manjari bhava out of deference to Nityananda Prabhu, who empowered him to preach, and while under the influence of Nityananda Prabhu expressed sentiments for sakhya bhava. Such a possibility exists, although it seems unlikely because almost the entire Nityananda parivara openly express affinity for manjari bhava. [Editors note: More on this topic can be found in the Sanga entitled: Highest Rasa: "Fools Rush In"] [top] Q. According to Rupa Gosvami, sakhya-rati is presided over by Upendra. Can you offer an explanation of this? A. Upendra is another name for Govinda. Upendra means either one who comes after Indra, as in the case of Vamanadeva who appears as Indra's younger brother, or one who is above Indra, as in the case of Govinda. It was Indra, chief of the gods, who crowned Krsna as the Lord of the gods and, in conjunction with Surabhi and the other gods present, gave him the name Govinda. In Sri Hari Vamsa (2.19.46) and Visnu Purana (5.12.12), Indra gives Krsna the name Upendra at the end of the Govardhana lila. In Sri Hari Vamsa, Indra says, sa mamopari yathendras tvam sthapito gobhir isvarah, upendra iti krsna tvam gasyanti divi devatah: "O Krsna, because the cows have established you as the Indra above me, the supreme controller, the devas in heaven will call you Upendra." In the same lila described in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Surabhi under Indra's direction names Krsna "Govinda" instead of Upendra. Govinda means he who gives pleasure to or is known by the cows, or he who is the Lord of the cows. The cows are said to be the source of the gods--gobhyo devah samutthitah. Thus the name Govinda--Lord of the cows--is synonymous with the name Upendra--he who is above Indra. So it is this Upendra--Govinda--not the Upendra who is the younger brother of Indra, that is the personification of sakhya rati. Furthermore, in Gopala-tapani Upanisad it is revealed that the name Govinda in the eighteen-syllable Krsna mantra is identified with sakhya-rati. He who gives pleasure to the cows, Sri Govinda, does so in his eternal lila by taking them into the forest along with his comrades, all of whom love him as their dearest friend. This lila and this name and form of God are all about sakhya-rati. [top] Q. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's principal associate Sri Nityananda Prabhu is known as akrodha paramananda nityananda-raya, which means that he is always joyful in transcendental bliss and never becomes angry. However it is narrated in the book Nityananda-caritamrta that Nityananda Prabhu visited a Buddhist monastery and found the Buddhists all sitting together. The Lord then asked a question and when no one replied he became angry and kicked the Buddhists in the head. I find this quite confusing. Why did such an uncharacteristic display of anger come from Nityananda Prabhu? A. The text you mention is originally from Caitanya Bhagavata (1.9.145). It goes on to say that the Buddhists smiled in return, paldila bauddha-gana hasiya hasiya. So Nityananda Prabhu somehow made them happy. This is his principal characteristic. Therefore Locana dasa prays to him thus, ha ha prabhu nityananda premananda sukhi, krpabalokana koro ami baro duhkhi: "My dear Lord Nityananda, you are always joyful in spiritual bliss. Since you always appear very happy, I have come to you because I am most unhappy. If you kindly cast your glance upon me, I may also become happy." It appears that the followers of Nityananda Prabhu often speak of kicking in the head people who do not take advantage of Mahaprabhu's mercy. This is a peculiar expression of their particular bhava (sakhya bhava/fraternal love), in which the eagerness for heroism and a good fight that is prominent in sakhya bhava is transformed into an expression of religious heroism in Caitanya lila. Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura said that this is an example of their special mercy, for it immediately draws Krsna's sympathy to those whom they insult. However, Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has cautioned that while great devotees may sometimes speak like this out of bhava, less advanced devotees should not imitate them. [top] Q.Souls emanating from Balarama are said to be replete with knowledge (nitya siddha), while those emanating from Maha-Visnu are lacking in knowledge (nitya-baddha). Is this due to Balarama being a greater manifestation of Krsna? A. There are different types of souls. Souls emanating from Maha-Visnu are called tatastha-sakti (marginal energy); these souls can lose sight of themselves and become inhabitants of the material world. They are part of the Lord's play known as srsti lila, the lila of creation. Souls emanating from Baladeva, Sri Radha, Subala, and so on are never subject to material illusion. They are not involved with the material energy because their source is not involved, as is Maha-Visnu in the case of the nitya-baddha jivas. [top] Q. Some saints in Krsna lila or Caitanya lila are described as combinations of different personalities; for example, Ramananda Raya, the associate of Sri Chaitanya, is said to be Arjuna and Visaka sakhi simultaneously. How are we to understand this and which Arjuna is being referred to, the cowherd friend of Krsna in Vraja lila or the warrior friend of Krsna of Bhagavad-gita fame? A. Eternal associates (nitya parsada) of Krsna like Ramananda Raya are constituted of Krsna's svarupa-sakti, unlike the jiva souls in the material world who are constituted of his tatastha-sakti. Nitya parsada souls often appear with the Lord in his various incarnations in appropriate forms or in more than one form. For that matter when the jiva comes under the influence of Krsna's svarupa-sakti, it can realize more than one spiritual form in which to serve Krsna. For example, it is taught in the Gaudiya tradition that the jiva can attain a form as a young brahmana boy in Gaura lila and a corresponding form as a gopi or gopa in Krsna lila. Sri Jiva Goswami cites a passage from the Candogya Upanisad in his Priti-sandarbha in this regard, interpreting it in an interesting way. Sri Jiva says, "By his own will a liberated soul can manifest many different forms. This is described in these words of Candogya Upanisad (7.26.2): sa ekadha bhavati, dvidha bhavati, tridha bhavati: 'The liberated soul may manifest one form, two forms, three forms, or more forms than that.' " He cites this passage while speaking about the highest liberation, as described in the preceding chapter of the same Upanisad. Sri Jiva says, "The highest state of liberation is described in these words of Candogya Upanisad (7.25.2): sa va evam pasyann evam manvana evam vijanann atma-ratir atma-krida atma-mithuna, 'In this way the liberated soul sees God, thinks of him, understands him, delights in him, and enjoys pastimes with him.' " Candogya 7.26.2 cited above is referring to spiritual forms and the potential of the liberated to have more than one such form for the sake of lila with Bhagavan. Regarding Ramananda Raya in particular, various devotees have identified him differently. Kavi Karnapura identified him with the gopi Lalita and the Pandava Arjuna based upon the Ramananda-samvada's being roughly analogous to the Bhagavad-gita. He also identifies him as the priyanarma sakha Arjuna of Vraja-lila based on his pacifying Sri Caitanya when he assumed the bhava of Krsna in separation from Radha. Priyanarma sakhas are confidential friends of Krsna who are involved in service within the romantic life of Radha-Krsna. Others such as Bhaktivinoda Thakura have identified Ramananda Raya with Visakha gopi based on Visakha's being so similar to Radha, having been born on the same day, and so on. Because of this similarity, she (as Ramananda Raya) is eminently qualified to help Caitanya Mahaprabhu enter Radha's bhava. Such is the rasika darsana (visionary ecstasy) of different devotees, and such is the potential of the nitya parsadas of Sri Krsna.

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"We're Taking Death As Life" Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.7 Vrndavana, December 9, 1975 Translation: "In tender childhood age, when everyone is bewildered, he passes ten years. Similarly, in boyhood, being engaged in sporting and playful things, another ten years. In this way twenty years are wasted. Similarly, in old age, when a person becomes invalid and he is unable to execute even material activities, he passes another twenty years wastefully." Prabhupada: mugdhasya balye kaisore kridato yati vimsatih jaraya grasta-dehasya yaty akalpasya vimsatih [sB 7.6.7] Don't be illusioned. Even balye, in childhood, they should not be because there is no question of balya or vrddha. Any, at any moment the life can be finished. You know. There is no guarantee, "Because a child is a child, oh, he has got hundred years' age, so let him play now." No, that is not. He should be trained up. This is the duty of the father and mother. Na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum. "One should not become father, one should not become mother, if he is not very careful to save the child from the imminent death." The imminent death does not mean motor accident. Imminent death means we are in the cycle of birth and death. It is the duty of the father and mother, the duty of the guru, the duty of the relative, to save one another from the cycle of birth and death. This is real upakara, to save from the cycle of birth... Na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum. This life, we are thinking that "I am eighty years old or ninety years old." But it is not eighty years, ninety... It is mrtyu. Mrtyu. You are dying every moment. It is the life of mrtyu. Therefore one has to save. Na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum. A child is grown up, five years old. Suppose he'll live hundred years. So that means he has already died five years. Therefore it is mrtyu. Or we have grown eighty years old. That means... Suppose I live hundred years. Still, I have already died eighty years. Therefore it is mrtyu. The whole life is mrtyu. Every moment you are dying, dying, dying, dying, from the very birth. Suppose a child is born one hour before. So one hour passed means he has died one hour out of hundred years, the beginning of death. This is called mrtyum. So we are thinking, "We are growing. We are living." This is all mugdha, bewildered. Where you are growing, you are living? You are dying every moment. So dying, death is going on. It is called mrtyu-loka. So long you are in the material world, you are simply dying. That's all. At the end, when the balance of life, it becomes finished, we take, at that time, it is mrtyu. But no, from the very birth there is mrtyu, always, dying, dying, dying, dying. So mugdha. We are thinking, "We are living and growing, young. We are getting strength." But he does not know that he is dying. Therefore it is explained, mugdhasya: "illusioned." He is taking death as life, mugdhasya. So one should not be so bewildered, mugdhasya, and waste time by playing.

Mr. George Harrison, the famous English musician, who is my uninitiated devotee. In London, however, we get some income by sales of "Hare Krishna Mantra" record and similarly in the U.S.A. we get some income by selling "Govinda" records and other similar records. From London the "Hare Krishna Mantra" record has worldwide sales. This is managed by Mr. George Harrison, the famous English musician, who is my uninitiated devotee. This boy has paid me recently $19,000 for publishing my Krishna book. The whole amount will be required for publishing the book in Japan. [s.P. Letter to: Hanuman Prasad Poddar, Los Angeles, 5 February, 1970] I think George does not require to become my formal disciple because he is already more than my disciple. Is it not possible to have a small temple in George's house so you can engage in temple worship? That is necessary. If there is a small temple there, then you and your wife and others can be nicely engaged. I think George does not require to become my formal disciple because he is already more than my disciple. He has sympathy for my movement and I have all blessings for him. He can easily spare that chapel for developing it into a nice Krishna Consciousness temple. We do not want any proprietorship right, but we want simply to utilize the nice place into a nice temple. [s.P. Letter to: Syamasundara, Los Angeles, 12 April, 1970] Sriman George Harrison has certainly done an unique service by contributing $19,000 for publishing my Krsna book. When I was in London, he saw me four times and he was very submissive and devout and he was not at all proud of his very well-to-do material position. Sriman George Harrison has certainly done an unique service by contributing $19,000 for publishing my Krsna book. When I was in London, he saw me four times and he was very submissive and devout and he was not at all proud of his very well-to-do material position. He has a reputation as a first class musician and he is considered to be rich or as they say one of the richest men in the world. Still he was not at all puffed up, but was humble, meek, polite, and devout. So all these qualities and his service to Krishna will certainly help him in his advancement of Krishna Consciousness. Thus I see that although he is not an initiated disciple, still he has been trying to help us in so many ways. [s.P. Letter to: Bhagavan, Los Angeles, 8 February, 1970] He is a good soul and I am praying for him to Krishna, so surely he will make advancement. I am so glad to learn that Sriman George is making good advancement in Krishna consciousness. He is a good soul and I am praying for him to Krishna, so surely he will make advancement. His book, Krishna, is already ready for being sent to the press. [s.P. Letter to: Syamasundara, Los Angeles, 6 January, 1970] I am marking that George has the serving spirit, and that is making him advance gradually. Please offer my blessings to Sriman George and all the other Prabhus there. I am marking that George has the serving spirit, and that is making him advance gradually. [s.P. Letter to: Syamasundara, Los Angeles, 4 May, 1970] This good boy George Harrison, we must give him all glories. Prabhupada: ...given the facility of assembling in this nice house, this good boy George Harrison, we must give him all glories. We must be thankful to him that he has given us the facility, and Krsna will bless him more and more. [Arrival Address, London, July 7, 1973]

IDENTICAL WITH VRINDAVAN Translation and purport to Caitanya- caritamrita madhya 22.132 His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada One should congregationally chant the holy name of the Lord and reside in Vrindavan. PURPORT Srila Narottama Das Thakur has sung: “One who understands the transcendental nature of Nabadwip and its surrounding area, where Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu enacted His pastimes, resides always in Vrindavan.” Similarly, living in Jagannath Puri is as good as living in Vrindavan. The conclusion is that Navadwip Dham, Jagannath Puri Dham and Vrindavan Dham are identical. However, if one goes to mathura mandala- bhumi to gratify one’s senses or to earn a livelihood, one commits an offense. Such a condemned person must be penalized in the next life by becoming a hog or a monkey in Vrindavan Dham. After taking on such a body, the offender is liberated in the following life. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur remarks that residing in Vrindavan with a view to enjoy sense gratification surely leads a so-called devotee to a lower species.

So we are also old. In the Bhagavad-gita you find this verse, nityah sasvato 'yam purano na hanyate hanyamane sarire. Do you remember, any one of you, this verse from the Bhagavad-gita? Eh? But you don't read. So I am writing all these books simply for selling, not for reading. This is not good. And if somebody asks you, "You are so much eager to sell your books. Do you read your books?" Then what you will say? "No, sir, we don't read. We sell only. Our Guru Maharaja writes, and we sell." That is not good business. You must read. Why I am writing so many books? Not a single moment waste. If you want to become successful in Krsna consciousness, don't lose even a single moment. That should be the first determination. Avyartha-kalatvam, Rupa Gosvami says. Forget sleeping, eating, mating. This is all material necessities. If you increase these things, then you cannot make any progress in spiritual life. [srila Prabhupada from a Srimad-Bhagavatam Lecture 1.16.24, Hawaii, January

Thus a godless civilization becomes the source of all calamities Thus being advised by the demoniac ministers, Kamsa, who was from the very beginning the greatest rascal, decided to persecute the brahmanas and Vaisnavas, being entrapped by the shackles of all-devouring, eternal time. He ordered the demons to harass all kinds of saintly persons, and then he entered his house. The adherents of Kamsa were all influenced by the modes of passion as well as illusioned by the modes of ignorance, and their only business was to create enmity with saintly persons. Such activities can only reduce the duration of life. The demons accelerated the process and invited their deaths as soon as possible. The result of persecuting saintly persons is not only untimely death. The act is so offensive that the actor also gradually loses his beauty, his fame and his religious principles, and his promotion to higher planets is also checked. Driven by various kinds of mental concoctions, the demons diminish all kinds of welfare. An offense at the lotus feet of the devotees and brahmanas is a greater offense than that committed at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus a godless civilization becomes the source of all calamities. (Krsna Book Chapter 4 "Kamsa Begins His Persecutions") ========================================== "The whole world is awaiting that disaster" That is awaiting. The whole world is awaiting that disaster. The America has got atom bomb and Russia has got atom bomb. As soon as there is another war, the whole world will be finished. (Bhagavad-gita Lec. 13.14 Bombay, October 7, 1973) ============================================== So these rascals are going on. So it is very difficult to preach Krsna consciousness. The whole world is overburdened by these rascals and demons. So atom, atom bomb is waiting for them. Yes. It will be finished. All the demons will be finished. (Srimad-Bhagavatam Lec. 1.8.34 Los Angeles, April 26, 1973) ============================================ You are maintaining so many slaughterhouses, and when it will be mature, there will be war, the wholesale murder. Finished. One atom bomb--finished. You'll have to suffer. Don't think that "Innocent animals, they cannot protest. Let us kill and eat." No. You'll be also punished. Wait for accumulation of your sinful activities, and there will be war, and the America will drop the atom bomb, and Russia will be finished. Both will be finished. Go on now enjoying. It takes time. Just like even if you infect some disease, it takes time. Not that immediately you infect, and immediately the disease is there. No. It takes a week's time or so. (Srimad-Bhagavatam Lec. 6.1.32 Honolulu, May 31, 1976) ----------------- Paramahamsa: The theory nowadays is that by the proliferation of atomic weapons, that Russia has so many weapons, China has so many weapons, the United States has so much... Prabhupada: Everyone now. India has also. Paramahamsa: They're all afraid of using them. Prabhupada: They must use it. That is nature's arrangement. Paramahamsa: Yeah, right. History. Prabhupada: Yes. That is nature's arrangement (chuckles) that you all die. That is nature's arrangement. Tamala Krsna: When someone gets some power he wants to try it out. Just like there was that demon. Lord Siva gave him power: whoever head he touched, the head would fall off. Prabhupada: Just like in your country there are so many cars so that a poor man like me has car always, not an inch move on leg. So because there is so many. There are so many cars. So there are so many weapons now. That must be used. That is a natural sequence. They must use it. Bahulasva: That is why they have wars, just so they can use up the weapons. Prabhupada: Oh yes. Paramahamsa: The only difficulty is that if one person uses the atomic weapon, that means entire, it would be entire waste of mankind. So everyone's afraid of using the ultimate. Prabhupada: Well, anyway, they must be used. There is no doubt about it. Therefore we can say there will be war. It is no astrology. It is natural conclusion. Tamala Krsna: Common sense. Paramahamsa: That'd mean total destruction. Prabhupada: Well, total or partial, that we shall see. But they must be used. ( S.P.Morning Walk July 18, 1975, San Francisco) ------------------ The modern civilization has got everything, but without God consciousness, any moment it will be finished. And there are symptoms... Any moment. At the present moment, this godless civilization, as soon as there is declaration of war, the America is prepared to drop atom bomb, Russia is... The first nation who will drop the atom bomb, he will be victorious. Nobody will be victorious, because both of them are ready to drop. The America will be finished and Russia will be finished. That is the position. So you may make advancement of civilization, scientific improvement, economic development, but if it is godless, at any moment it will be finished. At any moment. (Srimad-Bhagavatam Lec. 1.15.21 Los Angeles, December 1, 1973) ------------ You have created this situation. You must be killed. You may be American or Englishman or German or this or that. You may be very proud of your nationality. But you must be killed." This is the position. Isvarasya vicestitam. "You have killed so many animals. Now wholesale killing, one bomb. One atom bomb. Be killed." So these rascals they do not know how things are going on. Isvarasya vicestitam. "Tit for tat." There must be. (Srimad-Bhagavatam Lec. 1.15.24 Los Angeles, December 3, 1973) ------ Prabhupada: This dhumaketu is described in Dasavatara-stotra, dhumaketum iva kim api karalam. Dhumaketum iva. Dhumaketum iva kim api karalam. As soon as there is comet, there will be some disaster. Very great disaster. In our childhood we saw the comet, not this like. That was small comet. Still, the first world war was there declared. That we have seen in 1914. Nara-narayana: Halley's comet. Prabhupada: Eh? Nara-narayana: I think they called it Halley's comet. Halley's comet. Prabhupada: Now the... You can expect at any moment disaster in this material world, but the comet is the sign that there will be some great disaster. ( S.P. Morning Walk January 3, 1974, Los Angeles) ----------- Prabhupada: Yes. All Western adventure to keep people in darkness. And that is going on. Now it will be smashed by the next war. Next war will come very soon. Tamala Krsna: (Surprised) Oh! Prabhupada: Yes. Tamala Krsna: Next war...? Prabhupada: Your country, America, is very much eager to kill these Communists. And the Communists are also very eager. So very soon there will be war. And perhaps India will be the greatest sufferer. Tamala Krsna: Greatest...? Devotees: Sufferer. Srutakirti: Sufferer. Prabhupada: Because America is aiming to start the war from India. Devotee: Oh! Prabhupada: Yes. Because India and Russia, they are... Brahmananda: They are... Friendship. Prabhupada: No. Side by side. If the war is started from India... Rupanuga: So India will become... Prabhupada: And the Russians are ready here already, I have heard, with soldiers and... Not soldiers. I mean to say. Hamsaduta: Missiles. Prabhupada: Yes. They are also vigilant. Visnujana: Will that help our preaching, Prabhupada? Prabhupada: Preaching will be very nice after the war when both of them, especially Russia, will be finished....... Prabhupada: Yes, they are getting. They are already getting. The Pakistan will start the war with India. And then everything will be... Devotees: Oh! Whew! Devotee: Pakistan will start a war... (devotees talking among themselves.)... Tamala Krsna: Will this war spread to many different countries and continents? Prabhupada: The actual war will be between America and Russia. ( S.P. Morning Walk Conversation (World War III) April 4, 1975, Mayapur) ----- Prabhupada: Yes. Next war means atomic war. All these rascals will be killed automatically. I will kill you, you'll kill me. That's all. Yogesvara: Is that war to occur in the recent future? Or is that a long way off? Prabhupada: Very recent, very recent future. (S.P.Morning Walk May 27, 1974, Rome) ----- "After a laps of fifty years" By the grace of the illusory energy of Godhead we are now engaged more and more in the dangerous type of work in this machine-age. The machine-age is the result of dangerous type of work. When we leave aside the culture of spiritualism, we are entangled in the dangerous type of work. Nobody can live for a moment without work and therefore when finer elements are made to stop working, gross materialism occupies the devil's brain. The result is that we have now come to the age of nuclear weapons for the destruction of material civilization. By the law of nature, the nuclear weapons have been produced for crushing the result of blind-materialism. The peace move of different powers of the world, by the false gesture of suspending the experiments of dangerous weapons--may be very much pleasing to the comparatively weak nations--but these temporary peace-moves will prove useless by the law of material nature. When the dangerous weapons are produced, they must be utilised for annihilation of blind materialism by the plan of the Daivi Maya or the external energy of Godhead. The problem can be solved when they are taught about their spiritual identity. The soul-killing civilization is progressively taking to the dangerous type of work by invention of huge mechanical means. The illusory energy is creating this atmosphere for blind materialism and on the other hand she is arranging for their destruction also. Such opposite methods are called illusory energy. The human energy is thus misused for breaking the same thing which is produced by the same energy. It is something like blazing the fire and extinguish it by pouring water simultaneously--a sign of insanity or spoiling the valuable human energy meant for spiritual culture. History has been repeated so many times and many many leaders of materialism like Napoleon, Hitler and others now remain in name only without any sign of the material progress planned by them. De-Stalinisation has already begun in Russia. Nobody is enjoying the result of civilization created by atheists like Ravana, Kansa, Aurangzeb, Napoleon or Hitler. Everything is in oblivion and this teaches us the lesson that the materialistic plans of the present age will also meet with the same fate after a lapse of 50 years. Therefore blind materialism does not bring in any permanent relief in the world. (Srila Prabhupada B.T.G. Article 1956 "Blind Materialism" ) ---- "The first party who will drop the bomb on the other party, he will be victorious, and immediately the war will stop" Now the nuclear war means it will not continue very long. The first party who will drop the bomb on the other party, he will be victorious, and immediately the war will stop. They are simply arranging how to drop the atom bomb first. So one who will be able to drop the bomb first, he will be victorious. It doesn't require long time. Just like in Japan, as soon as the Americans dropped the atom bomb in Hiroshima, immediately they surrendered. This will be the result. Now the question is who will be able to drop the bomb first. (S.P. Morning Walk June 16, 1975, Honolulu) Harikesa: The sinless people will survive Prabhupada: Yes. Devotee (3): Who is that? Prabhupada: We Prabhupada: That will take place. Otherwise, how they will be killed? Ambarisa: They're calling it a limited nuclear war. Prabhupada: They are accumulated so much sinful load that must be killed. That is sure. (break) ...the massacre. That will take place. Harikesa: The sinless people will survive? Prabhupada: Yes. Devotee (3): Who is that? Prabhupada: We. (break) There was an artificial famine in India and I particularly inquired from all devotees whether they have got any problem in this famine. They said, "No, we haven't got." I have taken the statistics. In 1942 the artificial famine created by government... So there were big earthquake in Bihar. At that time one of my godbrother, he was government auditor. So I inquired. In that earthquake only his house was saved. I have seen it many times. Kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati. That is the only.... samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh bhavambudhir vatsa-padam param padam padam padam yad vipadam na tesam Padam padam yad vipadam na tesam. It is not meant for them, all these dangerous condition. (S.P. Morning Walk June 16, 1975, Honolulu) ---------------------- Dhananjaya: And after the war what will be the result? Prabhupada: After the war they will come to sense. (S.P.Morning Walk May 27, 1974, Rome) Prabhupada: Preaching will be very nice after the war when both of them, especially Russia, will be finished....... ( S.P. Morning Walk Conversation (World War III) April 4, 1975, Mayapur) - There is always this great quarrel between the laborers and the capitalistsin in present-day society. The quarrel has now taken an international shape, and the world is in danger… .The Bomb is in the hands of both the communists and capitalists, and if both do not recognize the proprietorship of the Supreme Lord, it is sure and certain that, ultimately, the Bomb will ruin both parties. Therefore, in order to save themselves, both must follow the instruction of Sri Isopanisad, and thus bring peace to the world. Sri Isopanisad (Page 16) - As soon as you have got some money, print books, print books. Don't keep it. If you print books, some day somebody will read. But if we keep money, it creates disturbance. I am therefore always insisting, "Print books, Print books." Or construct temple, this building, that building. There is no need of keeping money. ( S.P.Garden Discussion on Bhagavad-gita Sixteenth Chapter June 26, 1976, New Vrindaban) ------------------------- Formerly money was gold and silver coins. It had some value. But what is the present currency? Simply piece of paper. Bunch of papers. During the last war the government failed in Germany, and these bunch of papers were thrown in the street. Nobody was caring. Nobody was caring. ( B.G. Lec. 9.4 Melbourne, April 22, 1976) ---------------------------- "For our parts we should just be determined to carry out our mission against all opposition, demons, nuclear war, whatever" You have asked about whether nuclear devastation on this planet would effect the Sankirtana Movement. No, there is nothing that can stop the Sankirtana Movement because it is the will of God Himself, Lord Caitanya, that His Holy Name be heard in every town and village. Neither can the demons devastate this planet independent of the will of Krsna. Nothing happens without His sanction. If Krsna wants to kill someone no one can save Him, and if Krsna wants to save someone no one can kill him. For our parts we should just be determined to carry out our mission against all opposition, demons, nuclear war, whatever. The whole universe is finally subject to certain annihilation by the will of Krsna, but devotional service is eternal and is the only certain way one can save himself from devastation. (S.P. Letter to: Makhanlal Mayapur 22 June, 1973)

And similarly, dam-pate kalahe, I mean to say, "war between husband and wife..." So these things are to be taken as insignificant. So, of course, in India the quarrel between husband and wife, nobody cares. Nobody takes very seriously. The husband may complain, the wife may complain. Everyone says, "Yes, yes. That's all right. It will be all right." They never go to court for divorce. You see? But it is... There is no seriousness. And actually it is fact. I have seen a serious. They are divorced, but still, the husband is anxious for the wife, and the wife is anxious for the husband. The divorce is artificial. The husband and wife, the combination, that cannot be cut off. So one should tolerate these things. If there is some misunderstanding, they should not go to the court for divorce. They should tolerate. These are some of the rules for spiritual advancement. [bhagavad-gita Lecture, 6.32-40, New York, September 14, 1966] Prabhupada: ...quarrel, my wife never thought of any other man; neither I thought of any other woman. Dr. Patel: Why? Because of the background. Prabhupada: Although we fought, but there was no such thing. (break) Fighting is natural. This is fight of love. This is not fight... Therefore Canakya Pandita has said, "Neglect this fighting. Don't take it seriously." Dam-patye kalahe bambharambhe laghu kriya (?). This should not be... Quarrel between husband and wife should not be taken seriously. Let them fight. It will stop automatically. That's all. [s.P. Morning Walk, March 27, 1974, Bombay]

Some are vey fortunate,they know when to call out: Krishna! Save me!

http://www.afn.org/~afn18429/poland6.htm

There was an altar in the living room of our apartment where my wife and I offered all our food. Devotees had taught us to make offerings and do a simple worship. The picture of Srila Prabhupada was most prominent. One day while in a less than Krsna Conscious state, I entered the living room . Immediately I was overwhelmed with the feeling that someone was watching me. But there was no one there. When I looked at the altar, I could see Srila Prabhupada's eyes gazing at me. It did not quite look like a picture, but rather the person was actually there. I ignored the observation and crossed to the other side of the room. Looking once again at the picture it appeared that Prabhupada was now looking in this direction. At this point I became a little uneasy moving about the room to get away from Prabhupada's gaze. Wherever I went, he seemed to be looking there. I concluded that Srila Prabhupada was aware of everything I did, paid my obeisances and ran out of the room. On another night I had the first dream in which Srila Prabhupada appeared. It was long ago so I cannot remember much. Since then I have had many dreams of his Divine Grace many of which I have written down. the main portion of the dream was that Srila Prabhupada was standing at a distance and waving to me, calling me by name. He was walking forward and calling me to follow him. Srila Prabhupada wanted me to go with him. I woke up "where did he want me to go". The answers came from within; "to Krsna, out of maya, to ISKCON, to spread Krsna Consciousness". It became obvious that Srila Prabhupada was making contact with me. On the basis of that contact he was establishing a relationship whether I was prepared for it or not. Srila Prabhupada was entering into my life and would not leave. I made my first conscious step at surrender and began to view Srila Prabhupada as my spiritual master. by Sivarama Swami

At the 1975 San Francisco Ratha-yatra- The next day we were having the parade and Srila Prabhupada got out of his car to ride on Subhadra's cart. As he was walking toward the cart, he did a 180 degree turnaround and looked directly into my eyes. There were hundreds of people there, but he seemed to look right into my eyes alone. It was as if he was saying, “Yes, I know you're here.” I've heard many stories like this from other devotees. We all had this similar experience with Srila Prabhupada, sort of like how Krishna was with all the gopis but each gopi thought He was with her alone. It is a mystical thing, and since other devotees have told me the same thing, I suppose I was not delirious to think that it actually happened to me. by Visoka das

Christian Pamphlet Irritates South Indian Hindus, Another Targets Kumbha Mela http://www.kentaxrecords.com/iaca/feature_hijack.htm INDIA, April 9, 2004: Recently Christian zealots have begun claiming that various Vedic Sanskrit slogans were in praise of Jesus and not Hindu Gods. Christian propaganda pamphlets and booklets in circulation especially in and around Madurai district in Tamil Nadu also make the suggestion that the revered Swami Vivekananda had asked the people to worship Jesus. The pamphlets, which have been put in circulation by the Madurai-based Infant Jesus Hospital also fraudulently invoke verses from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita, saying that they preach against "idol worship." The highly inflammatory pamphlets, delivered by Christian converts, have been appearing in southern districts of Tamil Nadu in the hopes of misleading a few gullible souls. HPI adds: There's nothing new about the approach, as early Christian missionaries made the same claims. For the upcoming Kumbh Mela, 2004, where an estimated 15-25 million Hindu pilgrims descend on the city of Ujjain in April, a Christian group known as "Gateway" has released a handout to its members instructing them to "mobilize a intercessory team to pray on the venue and during the Mela." The other side gives an elaborate "prayer" calendar with derogatory marks about Hinduism. "Pray for the spiritually blind people that they may see for themselves that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life," says one of the calendar entries. The pamphlet gives important dates of Religious Bathing with instructions to "Pray with special fervor on these dates" because more pilgrims will be in attendance at the Mela. The group is relying on direct access to the millions of devotees to disrupt the sacred festival with prayers and miracle shows in strategic locations to gain converts, says this article. Other excerpts of daily "prayer" from this pamphlet read: "It is estimated that some 15 million Hindu pilgrims will be attending this mega event. Pray for the power of 'river worship' and its spiritual attraction may be broken." "Pray that the pilgrims may realize the futility of worshipping the dirty and polluted river and stop regarding this river as their 'mother.' " "Pray that the pilgrims may see behind the facade of Hindu hermits and sages and coming to know their hypocrisy may search for the true and living God." "Pray for the veil of the futile idolatry be lifted from before the eyes of the pilgrims." And on a practical note, "Pray that during the Mela, People of God (that is, the Christians themselves) may be united with the bond of single mindedness of mission and that there may be no divisions among them."

The natural effect of chanting the Hare Krsna mantra AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupada Chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare—is the sublime method for reviving our Krsna consciousness. As living spiritual souls we are all originally Krsna conscious entities, but due to our asociation with matter since time immemorial, our consciousness is now poluted by material atmosphere. In this polluted concept of life, we are all trying to exploit the resources of material nature, but actually we are becoming more and more entangled in our complexities. This illusion is called maya, or hard struggle for existence over the stringent laws of material nature. This illusory struggle against the material nature can at once be stopped by revival of our Krsna consciousness. Krsna consciousness is not an artificial imposition on the mind. This consciousness is the original energy of the living entity. When we hear the transcendental vibration, this consciousness is revived. And the process is recommended by authorities for this age. By practical experience also, we can perceive that by chanting this maha-mantra, or the Great Chanting for Deliverance, one can at once feel transcendental ecstasy from the spiritual stratum. When one is factually on the plane of spiritual understanding, surpassing the stages of sense, mind and intelligence, one is situated on the transcendental plane. This chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare is directly enacted from the spiritual platform, surpassing all lower states of consciousness--namely sensual, mental and intellectual. There is no need of understanding the language of the mantra, nor is there any need of mental speculation nor any intellectual adjustment for chanting this maha-mantra. It springs automatically from the spiritual platform, and as such, anyone can take part in this transcendental sound vibration, without any previous qualification, and dance in ecstasy. We have seen it practically. Even a child can take part in the chanting, or even a dog can take part in it. The chanting should be hears, however, from the lips of a pure devotee of the Lord, so that immediate effect can be achieved. As far as possible, chanting from the lips of a nondevotee should be avoided, as much as milk touched by the lips of a serpent causes poisonous effect. The word Hara is a form of addressing the energy of the Lord. Both Krsna and Rama are forms of addressing directly the Lord, and they mean "the highest pleasure, eternal." Hara is the supreme pleasure potency of the Lord. This potency, when addressed are Hare, helps us in reaching the Supreme Lord. The material energy, called as maya, is also one of the multipotencies of the Lord, as much as we are also marginal potency of the Lord. The living entities are described as superior energy than matter. When the superior energy is in contact with inferior energy, it becomes an incompatible situation. But when the supreme marginal potency is in contact with the spiritual potency, Hara,it becomes the happy, normal condition of the living entity. The three words, namely Hara, Krsna and Rama, are transcendental seeds of the maha-mantra, and the chanting is a spiritual call for the Lord and His internal energy, Hara, for giving protection to the conditioned soul. The chanting is exactly like a genuine cry by the child for the mother. Mother Hara helps in achieving the grace of the supreme father, Hari, or Krsna, and the Lord reveals Himself to such a sincere devotee. No other means, therefore, of spiritual realization is as effective in this age, as chanting the maha-mantra, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Although devotees generally do not go out to look for these sort of mystical experiences, still if Sri Krishna who is the Master of all Mystics and siddhis gives you a mystical experience in order to bring you closer to Him ...

The thing is Prabhupada's constant speaking on the difference between impersonal and personal realizations has convinced me that sayuja mukti is to be avoided. I want to find real life. I need to keep awake to me own individual existence. What a gift that Krsna has given us, our very selves. Why bury that in the light or void? --------------------- Yes,please continue writing your devotional meditations on these forums drawing attention to the wonderful process of surrender to Krishna and His pure devotee Srila Prabhupada. I see myself as a striver in the realm of some latent devotional feelings for bhakti abasa or shadow bhakti-practicing for the priveledge one day in the not so distant future that Krishna may pick me up from my horrid conditioned state and breathe into me some real bhakti-rasa from His chosen Vaisnava deputy.

KRSNA CONSCIOUS SOLDIERS I can understand from your letter that you are a quite fit soldier for fighting with Maya. Our Krishna Consciousness Movement is a declaration of war against the activities of Maya. Candika is another name of the external energy called Maya. This Candika is described as the Goddess who is putting all conditioned souls in darkness... in a sense this Krishna Consciousness Movement is declaring war against Candika, who has kept the living entities under her spell. Candika's first spell is to make us identify ourselves with these material conditions. Just like a living entity, because he is born and brought up in American condition, thinks himself as American, similarly, others are thinking they are Indians, Canadians, or French and so on. Actually, one is none of these material designations, but he is pure Krishna Consciousness, now covered by the spell of Candika's energy, or the material energy. So your program, seemingly like military men, marching with the Hare Krishna Mantra slogan is very very encouraging to me. I am always dreaming of a world Sankirtana Party, but your idea of marching 300 soldiers all over the world with the Hare Krishna Mantra is almost in fulfillment of my dream. So if you can believe in this adventure, certainly you will be doing a great deal of service to the humanity and therefore satisfying Krishna also... ...Therefore, Krishna Consciousness is also a sort of fight; but not with rifles. Our weapon is karatalas. In this age there is no need of fighting with rifles because the population is so poor that they are already killed by so many disturbances. They are short lived, poor in knowledge, slack in advancement of spiritual life, unfortunate, and embarrassed by so many miserable conditions of life; like war, famine, pestilence, poverty and so on. So to kill these persons by a rifle is like bringing a cannon for killing a mosquito. So Lord Caitanya introduced this fighting principle of the Sankirtana Movement to reclaim all the fallen souls, who consist of so-called philosophers, half-educated scientists, misguided educationists and a miscreant society. If you can consolidate a party of soldiers as described by you, chanting Hare Krishna Mantra and claiming everyone of them to Krishna Consciousness, that will be a glorious task, and you have all of my good wishes for you for this purpose... So far as your dress is concerned, that is immaterial. But as a soldier you know that every soldier has got a uniform dress according to the army etiquette of regulation. Therefore, the army of Krishna Consciousness must have at least the tilak on the forehead in all conditions. For your business you can wear your naval service uniform; similarly, if you have tilak on your forehead as a soldier of Krishna Consciousness, you may not have so much objection, because it is essential. Your ideas are great, and your efficiency is laudable. The best thing would have been if you could come here and live with me at least for a week. We could have discussed it very nicely, so in the future you can become a great commander of the Krishna Consciousness soldiers. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (Aug. 3,1969) The innumerable, glorious followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu brought a constant flood to the desertlike hearts of the unfortunate with an inundation of ecstatic love. All glories to the devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who are always overwhelmed by transcendental bliss! (Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami CC Antya-lila 9.1,3)