BVI

Tamala Krsna: ...been seeing this one person there by the name of Bhagavan Shringari Das, Bhagavan Shringari. He's the pujari of Lord Jagannatha. So he's claiming that when anyone goes to a holy place like Jagannatha Puri that they have to get initiated by a tirtha-guru. So these foolish disciples, they're going and they're accepting initiation from him, and he gives them some mantra, and then he... Naturally there's an exchange of money. They have to promise to send money regularly for Lord... He says it's for Lord Jagannatha. Obviously Lord Jagannatha will never see the money. He also gets them to write a letter. The letter reads something like that "I came to India blind, but now Bhagavan Shringari Das has opened my eyes." Doesn't even mention Your Divine Grace. And this boy, he was telling me this... When he asked about the holy places... This devotee, who..., he's doing a little assistance for me, he refused to have anything..., take any initiation 'cause he said that he could understand that something was wrong. He asked him, "What about Mayapura?" He said, "Oh, Mayapura is nothing. That is not the dhama." Then he said, "Dhama means...," and he named the four dhamas. So in this way some of the devotees are... Apparently they're even going back to America and they're encouraging others to send money to this cheater. This man is a big cheater. (name withheld), she took this initiation, and some other people, he mentioned... When he was there, there were already four devotees there, some householder devotee from Los Angeles, (name withheld)... He sells them things like the flag from the top of the temple for a hundred rupees. You know, different types of thing he sells them. So I said, "So why didn't you ask him, ‘Now that we're your disciple and you're our guru, now take us into the temple'? " Prabhupada: Hm? Tamala Krsna: I told him that he should have said that "I will become your disciple, but you take me into the temple with you. Because disciple means the son, so if you're my father, so I'm your son. You take me into the temple." But he... One of the devotees asked that, but he said, "No, no, that will not be possible, but you will see Lord Jagannatha in the Ratha-yatra time." The man is such a cheater. Of course, none of the more serious devotees, I think, are taking this man very seriously, but some of the devotees are a little less intelligent, so they are being fooled. Prabhupada: So the cheaters are there. If our men are cheated, if they agree to be cheated, how can I stop them? In Vrndavana also they have done like that, the babajis. Tamala Krsna: Same way. Prabhupada: Nitai is victim. Tamala Krsna: Radha-kunda. And in Vrndavana also. That Jagannatha dasa was telling you, remember, how he met some babaji coming on the road. Prabhupada: So there are cheaters, and if one wants to be cheated, how we can stop? Tamala Krsna: Actually this makes me feel that it's very important that we have our temple in Bhubaneshvara. Prabhupada: So you can publish this in our Back to Godhead. These things are going on. Devotees should be very careful not to be victimized by this cheater. Tamala Krsna: I think I can write a letter to the "Letters to the Editors" column. That'll be the proper place. Prabhupada: Yes. Tamala Krsna: Very good. What are...? Now, this man proclaimed himself to be "tirtha-guru." What are some of the other ways that they will say? I remember Jagannatha was saying that he... Prabhupada: Tirtha-guru, if he's able to take him to the temple, then tirtha guru. Otherwise he's a goru, cow, tirtha cow. That's all. Tamala Krsna: Say like that. Prabhupada: Yes. (laughs) Tell them that. He's unable to show Jagannatha. Then how he's guru? It is guru's responsibility to bring him to... That is upanayana. Upanayana, this sacred thread, means the guru brings him near God. Tamala Krsna: Yeah, this man gives them some thread, makes them touch his feet, the whole thing, offer coconut... Prabhupada: He's a foolish rascal. What can be done? Tamala Krsna: Yeah. Jagannatha, when he was telling us about this babaji, he said that there's also these babajis, they claim to be a guru for giving initiation into their svarupa. Prabhupada: Svarupa-siddhi. Tamala Krsna: Yeah, svarupa-siddhi. So we can mention this as also rascaldom. Prabhupada: Yes. What can be done? Cheaters there are. If you want to be cheated, who can save you? He has made guru without asking his guru. He submits to others. Then how we can save him? Tamala Krsna: What does that do to his relationship with his own spiritual master? Prabhupada: Eh? Tamala Krsna: How does this affect his relationship with his...? Prabhupada: They don't care for his own spiritual master. Tamala Krsna: But what...? That means their relationship is spoiled. Prabhupada: Yes. Guror avajna, aparadha. Tamala Krsna: Aparadha. Prabhupada: And Caitanya Mahaprabhu has advised, "Save yourself from aparadha." Some aparadha, and they are going away, just like Nitai. Guror avajna. Tamala Krsna: It's called the elephant offense? Prabhupada: Hm. Vaisnava-aparadha. The weak and the fools, they will be victimized. What can be done? Tirtha-guru, the panda is accepted tirtha-guru... That... But he takes to Jagannatha temple and other holy places, gives him instruction about the holy places and so on, so on, shelter, food, in this way. Tamala Krsna: Hm. There is such a thing. Prabhupada: Yes. Because I am unknown, so he helps me in every respect. So Vaisnava accepts everyone as guru, siksa-guru, diksa-guru, then tirtha-guru. This is no harm. But what is this rascal, "No, no, you cannot sit down here. You take the flag and pay me hundred rupees?" if you are so rascal, who can save you? Tamala Krsna: Tirtha-goru. Prabhupada: Tirtha-goru, that is called. That risk is there because in India there are so many places, holy places. If you are not expert, you'll be victimized. Tamala Krsna: What about this svarupa-siddhi? Prabhupada: Svarupa-siddhi, that is bogus. Svarupa-siddhi is not that you do all nonsense things and svarupa-siddhi... Svarupa-siddhi means when he is actually liberated, he understands what is his relationship with Krsna. That is svarupa-siddhi. Sakhya... So that is far away. Unless... If he's such a fool, then where is svarupa-siddhi? Tamala Krsna: So that realization doesn't come by some initiation from some babaji. Prabhupada: That automatically comes when there..., he is liberated, not before. So the babajis give this mantra for svarupa-siddhi? Tamala Krsna: Hm. Prabhupada: Yes, this is going on. Tamala Krsna: This man, he has a book now of these..., this man from Puri, Jagannatha Puri. He has a... He collects letters from each one of them, and he keeps them in a book, and he shows... Prabhupada: Yes, that "They have given me..." Tamala Krsna: So many disciples. Prabhupada: The Vrndavana also they do. These things are there, their business. And they smoke gan..., opium, ganja. Pan they are chewing, fish. "Tirtha-guru." In Vrndavana the jata-guru, caste gosvami, they do like that. He'll not touch his water even, and still, he is disciple. Tamala Krsna: Yeah, but that... This is such a contradiction, that the man gives someone, makes someone his disciple, but he will not take him. Prabhupada: He'll not take his food, he'll not touch his water, and still, he's guru. That's all. In Vrndavana it is going on, large... So many visitors come. They are victimized. They have got their step, in that way. Tamala Krsna: Yeah, right. The devotees should understand also that any money that's given to these persons, the Deity will never see this money. Prabhupada: Cheating is going on. You have to be careful. Otherwise very risky. Vipralipsa. One of the qualification of conditioned souls is to cheat others and be cheated. Vanchita vanchaka. Business cheat... (end) Conversation: Bogus Gurus -- April 25, 1977, Bombay

Letter to: Madhudvisa -- Unknown Place Unknown Date Letter excerpt Crow And Tal-Fruit Logic We never had any occasion when we were separated from Krsna. Just like one man is dreaming and he forgets himself. In dream he creates himself in different forms: now I am the King discussing like that. This creation of himself is as seer and subject matter or seen, two things. But as soon as the dream is over, the "seen" disappears. But the seer remains. Now he is in his original position. Our separation from Krsna is like that. We dream this body and so many relationships with other things. First the attachment comes to enjoy sense gratification. Even with Krsna desire for sense gratification is there. There is a dormant attitude for forgetting Krsna and creating an atmosphere for enjoying independently. Just like at the edge of the beach, sometimes the water covers, sometimes there is dry sand, coming and going. Our position is like that, sometimes covered, sometimes free, just like at the edge of the tide. As soon as we forget, immediately the illusion is there. Just like as soon as we sleep, dream is there. We cannot say therefore that we are not with Krsna. As soon as we try to become Lord, immediately we are covered by Maya. Formerly we were with Krsna in His lila or sport. But this covering of Maya may be of very, very, very, very long duration, therefore many creations are coming and going. Due to this long period of time it is sometimes said that we are ever-conditioned. But his long duration of time becomes very insignificant when one actually comes to Krsna consciousness. Just like in a dream we are thinking very long time, but as soon as we awaken we look at our watch and see it has been a moment only. Just like with Krsna's friends, they were kept asleep for one year by Brahma, but when they woke up and Krsna returned before them, they considered that only a moment had passed. So this dreaming condition is called non-liberated life, and this is just like a dream. Although in this material calculation it is a long, long period, as soon as we come to Krsna consciousness then this period is considered as a second. For example, Jaya and Vijaya. They had their lila with Krsna, but they had to come down for their little mistake. They were given mukti, emerging into the Brahmasayujya after being killed three times as demons. This Brahmasayujya mukti is non-permanent. Every living entity wants pleasure, but Brahmasayujya is minus pleasure. There is eternal existence only. So when they do not find transcendental bliss, they fall down to make a compromise with material bliss. Just like Vivekananda founded so many schools and hospitals. So even Lord Brahma, he is still material and wants to lord it over. He may come down to become a germ, but then he may rise up to Krsna consciousness and go back to home, back to Godhead. This is the position. So when I say Yes, there is eternal lila with Krsna, that means on the evidence of Jaya-Vijaya. Unless one develops full devotional service to Krsna, he goes up only up to Brahmasayujya but falls down. But after millions and millions of years of keeping oneself away from the lila of the Lord, when one comes to Krsna consciousness this period becomes insignificant, just like dreaming. Because he falls down from Brahmasayujya, he thinks that may be his origin, but he does not remember that before that even he was with Krsna. So the conclusion is that whatever may be our past, let us come to Krsna consciousness and immediately join Krsna. Just like with a diseased man, it is a waste of time to try to find out how he has become diseased, better to spend time curing the disease. On the top of the tree there is a nice tal-fruit. A crow went there and the fruit fell down, Some panditas, big big learned scholars saw this and discussed: the fruit fell due to the crow agitating the limb. No, the fruit fell simultaneously with the crow landing and frightened the crow so he flew away. No, the fruit was ripe and the weight of the crow landing broke it from the branch, and so on and so on. What is the use of such discussions? So whether you were in the Brahmasayujya or with Krsna in His lila, at the moment you are in neither, so the best policy is to develop your Krsna consciousness and go there, never mind what is your origin. Brahmasayujya and Krsna lila--both may be possible, but when you are coming down from Brahmasayujya or when you are coming down from Krsna lila, that remains a mystery. But at the present moment we are in Maya's clutches, so at present our only hope is to become Krsna conscious and go back to Home, back to Godhead. The real position is servant of Krsna, and servant of Krsna means in Krsna lila. Directly or indirectly, always we are serving Krsna's lila. Even in dream. Just like we cannot go out of the sun when it is daytime, so where is the chance of going out of Krsna lila? The cloud may be there, it may become very gray and dim, but still the sunlight is there, everywhere, during the daytime. Because I am part and parcel of Krsna, I am always connected. My finger, even though it may be diseased, remains part and parcel of my body. Therefore, we try to treat it, cure it, because it is part and parcel. So Krsna comes Himself when we forget Him, or He sends His representative. Awakening or dreaming, I am the same man. As soon as I awaken and see myself, I see Krsna. Cause and effect are both Krsna. Just like cotton becomes thread and thread becomes cloth, still, the original cause is cotton. Therefore, everything is Krsna in the ultimate sense. When we cannot contact Krsna personally, we contact His energies. So there is no chance to be outside Krsna's lila. But differences we see under different conditions. Just like in the pool of water and in the mirror the same me is reflecting, but in different reflections. One is shimmering, unsteady, one is clear and fixed. Except for being in Krsna consciousness, we cannot see our actual position rightly, therefore the learned man sees all living entities as the same parts and parcels of Krsna. Material existence is impersonal because my real personality is covered. But we should think that because I am now covered by this clay, I am diseased, and we should think that I must get to business to get myself uncovered, not wonder how I got this way. Now the fruit is there, take it and enjoy, that is your first business. God is not bound by cause. He can change, He is the Cause of all Causes. Now don't waste your time with this "Kaka taliya nyaya," crows and tal-fruit logic. Letter to: Madhudvisa --

Just like we are sitting face to face, Kåñëa is like that. You can have that opportunity. Just like Arjuna had the opportunity. Similarly you’ll have the opportunity. You have to take the opportunity. You’ll see Kåñëa face to face, talk with Him face to face, play with Him face to face. It is so nice, Kåñëa consciousness. Yes. Go on. ============ REF. Bhagavad-gétä 2.20-25 -- Seattle, October 14, 1968 Guest (2) (man): Does God speak to me, within me, whether I listen or not? Prabhupäda: God will speak just like you are speaking face to face if you are qualified. Guest (2): Not in terms of words or even sound within me but does... Prabhupäda: Sound is speaking. Speaking is sound. There is no difference. When you speak there is sound. ============ REF. Bhagavad-gétä 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 22, 1976 Prabhupäda: That is God. Some of you are saying there is no God, some of you are saying God is dead, and some of you are saying God is impersonal or void. These are all nonsense. I want to teach all these nonsense that there is God. That is my mission. Any nonsense can come to me, I shall prove that there is God. That is my Kåñëa consciousness movement. It is a challenge to the atheistic people. There is God. As we are sitting here face to face, you can see God face to face. If you are sincere and if you are serious, that is possible. Unfortunately, we are trying to forget God; therefore we are embracing so many miseries of life. So I am simply preaching that you have Kåñëa consciousness and be happy. Don’t be swayed away by these nonsense waves of mäyä, or illusion. That is my request. Devotees: Haribol! ============ REF. Arrival Address -- London, September 11, 1969 Prabhupäda: (translated into Spanish by Hådayänanda) So I thank you very much for your kindly receiving me in this temple, and I was very happy. So my request is that you continue your devotional service very faithfully and rigidly, then in this life you will be able to see Kåñëa face to face. That is a fact. So you follow the advice, as given by Rüpa Gosvämé, utsähät. The first thing is enthusiasm, that “I must see Kåñëa.” You are seeing Kåñëa. The Deity of Kåñëa and Kåñëa is not different. But even personally we can see. Simply we have to continue the enthusiasm. Enthusiasm means to take things very seriously, utsähäd dhairyät, and patiently. Although we are determined to go back to home, back to Godhead, so we should patiently follow the rules and regulations. So these are the six principles: enthusiasm and firm determination and patience and executing the regulative principles, tat-tat-karma-pravartanät, and sato våtteù, means behavior must be very honest, no duplicity, and utsähäd dhairyät niçcayät tat-tat-karma-pravartanät, and sato våtteù, dealing must be very honestly, no hypocrisy, tat-tat-karma-pravartanät, sädhu-saìga, and in the association of devotees. If you follow these six principles, namely enthusiasm, determination, patience, and executing the regulative principles and keep yourself honest and in the association of devotee, if you follow these six principle, then your success is sure. So these are the six principle, positive. Ñaòbhir bhaktiù prasidhyati: “By following these six principle, success is assured.” Similarly, there are opposite number. What is that? Atyähäraù, eating too much. Atyähäraù means eating too much or unnecessarily collecting too much. And prayäsaù. Prayäsaù means too much endeavoring for a thing, mean unnecessarily taking some anxiety. Don’t do that. Atyähäraù prayäsas prajalpaù, and talking nonsense, gossiping some subject matter which has no concern with Kåñëa consciousness. We are accustomed to do that. We should avoid it. Atyähäraù prayäsaç ca prajalpo niyamägrahaù [NoI 2]. Niyamägrahaù means the positive rules and regulation, simply make a show but not actually realize it. Niyamägrahaù, laulyam, and to become very greedy, and jana-saìgaç ca, and mixing with persons who are not devotee. These six things should be avoided, and the first things should be followed. Then your success in devotional service is sure. (Hådayänanda begins to translate and pauses) Prajalpaù, unnecessary gossiping. Just like people are wasting time taking one newspaper and talking for hours. These things should be avoided. And to associate with nondevotees. And greediness. These things should be avoided. atyähäraù prayäsaç ca prajalpo niyamägrahaù laulyaà jana-saìgaç ca ñaòbhir bhaktir pranaçyati [NoI 2] If you indulge in these six items, then your devotional service will be finished. And the first six principles means, utsähäd dhairyäd niçcayät tat-tat-karma-pravartanät sato våtteù sädhu-saìge ñaòbhir bhaktiù prasidhyati By these six principles, you will advance, and the other six principles, you will fall down. So under the guidance of your leaders in this temple, especially Hådayänanda Mahäräja, and if followed... One life, just take little trouble. It is no trouble; it is very happy life. But because we are accustomed to these material habits, we think it is trouble. No. It is not trouble. It is very pleasing. Su-sukhaà kartum avyayam. In the Bhagavad-gétä it is... “To execute devotional service is very pleasing.” I think... Thank you very much for your... (end) ============ REF. Departure Lecture -- Caracas, February 25, 1975 Prabhupäda: If you are suffering from cataract, how you can see distinctly? You have to get your eyes operated. Then you can see. So our bhakti process is simply purifying, purifying, more, more, more. When you are completely purified, you see God face to face, eye to eye, talk with Him, play with Him, just like cowherds boys, they are playing, the gopés are dancing. You get that position. [break] ============ REF. Morning Walk -- July 2, 1975, Denver Viçäla: I remember over five years ago you telling me about, “If you read the first nine cantos of Çrémad-Bhägavatam, you become fully Kåñëa conscious.” Would you kindly tell me what does it mean to be fully Kåñëa conscious? Prabhupäda: What do you understand, fully Kåñëa conscious? Viçäla: What does it mean to be fully Kåñëa conscious? Prabhupäda: No, what you mean, first of all let me know. Harikeça: What do you think fully Kåñëa concious means? You tell Prabhupäda. Viçäla: It’s to see Kåñëa face to face? Prabhupäda: That means Kåñëa conscious? Everyone is seeing Kåñëa face to face. When you go to the temple Kåñëa is there, and you are seeing. Does it mean everyone is Kåñëa conscious? Viçäla: No. Prabhupäda: Then what is the meaning of Kåñëa conscious? Indian man: Brahma-bhütaù prasannätmä na çocati na käìkñati [bg. 18.54]. Prabhupäda: Hm, that is part of Kåñëa consciousness, brahàa bhütaù. Real Kåñëa consciousness is: “Kåñëa is master, I am servant.” This is Kåñëa consciousness. Viçäla: To understand that you’re the servant and Kåñëa is the master. I see. Prabhupäda: When you fully understand, that is your Kåñëa... That is Kåñëa conscious. [break] So long you think that “I can also become like Kåñëa,” then you are not Kåñëa conscious. Viçäla: In other words, if you still have material desires you can’t be fully Kåñëa conscious. Prabhupäda: Yes. That is the beginning of Kåñëa consciousness, anyäbhiläñitä-çünyam [brs. 1.1.11]. Make all your material desires zero. Viçäla: Thank you very much. Prabhupäda: That is Kåñëa conscious. You should only desire to serve Kåñëa. [break] ...clear or not? Viçäla: Very clear. Thank you very much. Harikeça: What if a person doesn’t desire material enjoyment, but still, there is so much dirt? Prabhupäda: Hm? Who is that person who has no material desires? Harikeça: A person really wants to be Kåñëa conscious, but somehow or another, so much dirts gets in the way. Prabhupäda: Yes. Dirt means it is not yet zero. I said that all material desires should be made zero. Anyäbhiläñitä-çünyam [brs. 1.1.11]. Harikeça: As soon as the desires completely change, then everything else is purified. Prabhupäda: Yes. ============ REF. Morning Walk -- December 10, 1975, Våndävana Prabhupada:...With dull brain, physical brain, we cannot understand. That is not possible. Therefore to spiritualize the brain, the senses, requires a process. Just like to keep a vegetable in frozen condition, it requires a process. Similarly, we have to undergo a process to come to this spiritual platform, to understand the spirit soul, the supreme being, God, and the relationship and the activities. We must adopt the process. And those who are adopting the process, they are making progress. Practical. So it is not impractical. Thousands of these Europeans and Americans, they, say, a few years ago, four, five years ago—say, at most ten years ago—they did not know what is Kåñëa, what is God. But now you ask them, they will explain. They are not foolish, they are not uneducated. So unless they are situated in the spiritual platform, how they are sticking? So there is process, and the process is practical. Anyone who adopts this process, he’ll be able to understand. The process is meant for human being. Any human being who adopts this process will understand. So ask any one of them, these European, American boys, “Are you sticking to Krsna consciousness sentimentally or understanding?” Ask them. They will explain, “Yes, understanding.” Not blindly. Blindly one cannot stick—that is not possible. No, there is God, there is possibility to come in touch with God, there is possibility to serve Him directly, to see Him face to face, if we adopt the process. ============ REF. Evening Darshana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran Bhakti-devé däsé: Have you ever seen Kåñëa? Prabhupäda: Yes. Bhakti-devé däsé: You have? Prabhupäda: Daily. Every moment. Bhakti-devé däsé: But not in the material…, not in the material body? Prabhupäda: Huh? No in… He has no material body. Bhakti-devé däsé: Well in the temple here they have pictures of Kåñëa… Prabhupäda: That is not material. You are seeing material… Bhakti-devé däsé: Uh huh. Prabhupäda: …because you have got material eyes. Because your, you have got your material eyes, you cannot see the spiritual form. Therefore He kindly appears to be in a material body so that you can see. This is the point. Because He has kindly made Himself just fit for your seeing, that does not mean He is…, that He has material body. Just like President Nixon, if he kindly comes to your house, it does not mean that his position and your position is the same. It is his kindness, out of love, he may come to your house, but that does not mean he is on the same level with you. Similarly, because we cannot see with our present eyes what is Kåñëa, therefore Kåñëa appears before us as painting, as made of stone, as made of wood. And Kåñëa is not different from these paintings and wood because everything is Kåñëa. ============ REF. Room Conversation -- New York, July 4, 1972, (new98)

Reporter: The question is faith versus the... Prabhupada: It is not faith. It is not Lala... When I speak "Here is Lalaji,'' it is not faith. It is fact. Reporter: I guess because you have... Prabhupada: But you don't believe me. Reporter: Because you have personally witnessed, you see, sir. Prabhupada: That's all. It is not faith. Reporter: Oh, yes, sir. You are (indistinct). Prabhupada: If you believe me, then it is all right. If you don't believe me, that is different. Reporter: Then, sir, if everybody (indistinct) and that comment, "Believe me,'' that... Prabhupada: No. Why do I say...? You have to, you have to see whether, whether this person is worthy of believing. (laughter) Reporter: Whether the guru is right. Prabhupada: Yes. Therefore guru, guru cannot be any ordinary man. Reporter: That's right. Prabhupada: That guru cannot be. That guru's designation is there in the Vedas, that tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam [sB 11.3.21]. Anyone who is inquisitive for understanding... Suppose if you are inquisitive to understand really what is Lalaji, then you must approach to a person who knows Lalaji. Then you will understand Lalaji. And if you approach somebody who does not know Lalaji, then he may give you misinformation. So guru is that who knows Krsna. Otherwise you will not be able to understand what is Krsna. That Krsna also very easily you can find out. Take what Krsna says. Krsna teaches Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna directly. Now if you believe Arjuna, then you understand Krsna. Krsna taught Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna, and why Arjuna was taught, that is also said by Krsna, that bhakto 'si priyo 'si: "Because you are My devotee.'' Krsna did not go to teach Bhagavad-gita to a Vedantist. He went to teach to Arjuna. He was a family man, he was a soldier, but why he was selected? He, Krsna said, bhakto 'si. So if you approach a Krsna bhakta like Arjuna, then you will understand Krsna; otherwise you will not. They are understanding Krsna through me, not before me. But if they or some of them, "something,'' some of them "something,'' they may be very big scholar, but they did not know what is Krsna. Reporter: So first there should be direct... Prabhupada: Yes. Reporter: ...apprehension by... Prabhupada: Yes. One must be brahma-nistham, srotriyam brahma-nistham. Tad vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham "To understand these things properly, one must humbly approach, with firewood in hand, a spiritual master who is learned in the Vedas and firmly devoted to the Absolute Truth." [Mundaka Upanisad 1.2.12] 1.2.12]. Abhigacchet means must. You must find out a guru who knows Krsna. Otherwise there is no possibility of knowing Krsna. Reporter: So, sir, for we poor mortals it is very difficult to immediately, you see, to... Prabhupada: It is not a subject matter to understand immediately. Reporter: (indistinct) Prabhupada: It is not subject matter to understand immediately. It is a science. Reporter: Yes, a science. Prabhupada: It is a science, jnana sa vijnana. So you cannot understand a science in five minutes. That is not possible. Reporter: Yes. So we were trying to understand... No. We have just come to understand you. Prabhupada: Yes. That was others you cannot understand. (laughter) Reporter: (indistinct) He is trying to tell some kind of parochial (indistinct). Prabhupada: If you kindly accept what I say, then it is possible. If you are simply, what I say, if you have faith in me, and if what I say you believe, then you can understand. Other, it is not possible. Reporter: Can there be an existence without a faith, sir? Prabhupada: No. Faith is the beginning. But you have to... If you don't increase that faith scientifically, then that faith will not help you. Reporter: My (indistinct), sir, that without existence, without faith, there can not be (indistinct). Prabhupada: No, no. That I say: faith is the beginning. Faith is the beginning. Reporter: Because I take the word of my father, of my mother, that he is my father... Prabhupada: Yes. Reporter: ...I cannot prove it. Nobody can prove it that he is my father. Prabhupada: Yes, yes. Therefore that is the beginning of knowledge. That is the beginning, adau sraddha. That is stated in the sastra: adau sraddha, faith. Then if you have got sraddha, then adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. Suppose if you are, if you are very much anxious, you have got faith to understand Krsna, then next step is to associate with persons who know Krsna. Just like you are doing some business, so you have to enter into some association, businessmen, to understand the business from them. Similarly, if you have faith in Krsna, then you have to understand Him through the association of devotees. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangau [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. Atha bhajana-kriya. Then as soon as you have... Just as these boys, they came to me. After association they wanted to be initiated: "Swami, please initiate.'' That is called bhajana-kriya. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah atha bhajana kriya. And if you are performing bhajana kriya nicely, then anartha-nivrttih syat, then all misgivings will go away. Reporter: Anartha visya. Prabhupada: Anartha-nivrttih syat. Then nobody will question. All questions will be anartha-nivrttih, all doubts gone. Then nistha, firm faith. Then firm faith, nistha. Then taste. Whenever there is Krsna topics, immediately you go. Tato nistha... Reporter: Taste? Prabhupada: Taste, rucih. Reporter: Accha. Taste, rucih. Prabhupada: Tato nistha tatah rucih athasakti , then attachment. Reporter: Tatha? Prabhupada: Asakti. Reporter: Asakti. Prabhupada: Mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. That is Krsna says, mayi asakta. We have to increase our asakta, attachment, for Krsna by this process. Tathasakti tatah bhavah. Then you will see Krsna everywhere. That is krsna prema. Reporter: That is bhava. That is at last... Prabhupada: Yes, not last. Last but one. The last stage is you can not live without Krsna. Reporter: What do you call in Sanskrit, sir? Prabhupada: That is called, first of all bhavah, then prema, prema, krsna prema. That is our high perfection. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu is speaking that "I am seeing everything vacant without Krsna.'' Sunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me. That is the last stage of perfection. You become mad about, after Krsna. So that will take time. This is the process. But faith is the beginning. Yes. And that faith is also explained by the author of Caitanya-caritamrta: sraddha-sabde visvasa sudrdha niscaya. Faith means such faith that firm faith, sudrdha, niscaya, certain. Krsna bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya. This is faith. Therefore Krsna said that sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [bg. 18.66]. So faith means to believe in the word of Krsna, that "Surrendering to Krsna I will get everything. Now, I am free. This is my perfection.'' That is called faith. Krsna said that sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [bg. 18.66]. Now, if I say unto you that "You give up everything, come with me,'' unless you have got firm faith, how can you do it? That is faith. That faith has to be increased, and then it will reach to the stage of love.

Reporter: ls it possible for everyone to attain the perfectional stage you spoke of previously? Srila Prabhupada: Within a second. Anyone can attain perfection within a second -- providing he is willing. The difficulty is that no one is willing. In the Bhagavad-gita (18.66) Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: "Simply surrender unto Me." But who is going to surrender to God? Everyone says, "Oh, why should I surrender to God? I will be independent." If you simply surrender, it is a second's business. That's all. But no one is willing, and that is the difficulty. Reporter: When you say that lots of people want to be cheated, do you mean that lots of people want to carry on with their worldly pleasures and at the same time, by chanting a mantra or by holding a flower, achieve spiritual life as well? Is this what you mean by wanting to be cheated? Srila Prabhupada: Yes, this is like a patient thinking, "I shall continue with my disease, and at the same time I shall become healthy." It is contradictory. The first requirement is that one become educated in spiritual life. Spiritual life is not something one can understand by a few minutes' talk. There are many philosophy and theology books, but people are not interested in them. That is the difficulty. For instance, the Srimad-Bhagavatam is a very long work, and if you try to read this book, it may take many days just to understand one line of it. The Bhagavatam describes God, the Absolute Truth, but people are not interested. And if, by chance, someone becomes a little interested in spiritual life, he wants something immediate and cheap. Therefore, he is cheated. Actually, human life is meant for austerity and penance. That is the way of Vedic civilization. In Vedic times they would train boys as brahmacaris; no sex life was allowed at all up to the age of twenty-five. Where is that education now? A brahmacari is a student who lives a life of complete celibacy and obeys the commands of his guru at the gurukula [school of the spiritual master]. Now schools and colleges are teaching sex from the very beginning, and twelve- or thirteen-year-old boys and girls are having sex. How can they have a spiritual life? Spiritual life means voluntarily accepting some austerities for the sake of God realization. That is why we insist on no illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling, or intoxication for our initiated students. Without these restrictions, any "yoga meditation" or so-called spiritual discipline cannot be genuine. It is simply a business deal between the cheaters and the cheated.

I have not experienced that by rendering direct service that I have come to know everything knowable about Him. Maybe I am just deficient in that way. My service was brief, and I was focused on pleasing Radharani by my service. My experience was more like Arjuna seeing the eye of the bird. It was intense and focused conscious awareness of what Radharani's desire and happiness is and how to best bring that about through my service, which in those moments were internally communicated. At that instance we were not in a position to speak, we communicated through feelings which were as good as speaking. I perfectly understood what to do and how to do it. That was my experience. In fact, there were other maidservants rendering similar services to mine and I was not even aware of them or even of Krishna to the extent I was focused on Radharani and serving Her. All I can say is that is was intense and focused at a very intimate moment. Krishna was not wearing a garland at that time, in fact one one was. I have begun to answer your question. There are certainly more things I could add, but I have to say that these things cannot be expressed properly or entirely with language. I realized that immediately after the experience when I went to record what I was mercifully allowed to recall afterwards. It was a very frustrating exercise to try to capture all that just happened in words. I was able to record the essence of it and that has given me some solace since then to remember and relish the memory of it, but still it is not like the original experience. To taste it at that level again I realize I have to go back there. Words cannot describe. When in external consciousness, you realize that you cannot taste or fully experience or appreciate that internal state of consciousness. To describe the sweetness, how many times can I say "sweet, sweet, sweet", yet that doesn't even approach the sweetness I tasted. I realized afterwards that there is actually no sweetness in this material world whatsoever. Expressing all this is rather frustrating and for one who has experienced it, it almost seems futile to try to explain it to you because no matter what I say you are never going to taste it by these words. Prema or rasa has to be tasted to understand it. Still this is just to intice and encourage you to go through the process to position yourself so that you can have your own wonderful experience. You also cannot make it happen whenever you want. It comes when its comes by the causeless mercy of the Lord. I think I just won a free sample somehow, and I tried to retrace my footsteps to figure out how I did it, and couldn't figure it out. I caution you that what you might logically and rationally expect as an answer from me may not be a reasonable demand on your part, though it may seem reasonable to you that such a person would have a satisfactory answer to it. To test an unknown, you need to know how to test it. I am not aware that the test, I am assuming you manufactured through logic and reason, is actually a valid one. Nevertheless, I will try to answer as far as is possible, though I don't think you should rely on your own manufactured testing methods very much, which you seem rather confident about. I will tell you very frankly, having a brief direct service experience does not mean that you are going to know everything there is to know about Krishna. Srila Prabhupada explains how even the personal eternal associates of the Lord are not even sure what is going to happen next. Yoga maya controls the experience, and I did experience that Maya was conspicuous by her absence in retrospect after the experience. I understand and appreciate what you are trying to accomplish, but again, you need a valid litmis test to achieve your objective here, and I am not convinced you have one. I will still work with you to try to satisfy your doubts in the best way I can through communication, which is a very limited medium. I hope this helped. Your Servant

Guest (3): Have you seen Krsna? Prabhupäda: Yes. You are not seeing? Why you are so blind? Srimad-Bhägavatam 6.1.15 -- London, July 30, 1971 Prabhupada: ...Are you following blindly or you have experience of Krsna? Yes. What will be the answer? It’s a very intelligent question. People will ask you, perhaps they ask, “Have you seen Krsna?” “Why you are Krsna conscious?” What is your answer? Devotee: You see Him through sastra and the teachings of the spiritual master and His arca-vigraha. Prabhupäda: Of course that’s nice, but then you are following blindly your spiritual master. What is your experience? Devotee: Your heart becomes pure. Prabhupäda: Hm. Devotee: First you can hear Krsna before you see Him and this is a purification process. And the purification process can be felt and then you ask the person, “You can feel it yourself by chanting Hare Krsna, why not try it?” Prabhupäda: That’s all right, you have tried, whether you have seen? That is the question. You have tried for the last four or five years, whether you have seen Krsna? Devotee: We cannot see Krsna because our eyes are impure... Prabhupäda: Then you are following blindly. Srimad-Bhägavatam 7.7.19-20 -- Bombay, March 18, 1971 Reporter: Have you realized the highest truth yourself? Prabhupäda: Certainly. Reporter: You have? Prabhupäda: Oh, yes. Reporter: At what age did you realize God? Prabhupäda: I can deliver to you also. Reporter: Pardon me? Prabhupäda: I can deliver to you also if you want. Reporter: My question to you is at what age did you realize God? Prabhupäda: God is a person like you and me. The difference is that we are also persons. We are many, and God is one, leader. Now, what is the difference between this one and we many? He maintains all these many, and we are maintained by Him, but He is also a person like you and me. Do you follow? Reporter: Yes, I do, but Swamiji, my question to you was a bit more pointed than that. I appreciate the answer you just gave me, but at what age did you realize the highest truth? At what physical age...? Prabhupäda: There is no question of age. Realization of God should be educated from the very beginning of life. Reporter: Oh, I understand that, Swamiji. My question to you was at what age did you yourself in this physical incarnation realize the highest truth? Prabhupäda: Of course, we were born in a very nice family. My father educated me in this way. So practically from the very beginning of our life we were educated in this way. Reporter: Oh, no, I understand that. I mean at what time did you have your own personal realization, Swamiji? At what age? Prabhupäda: Well, that I can say from the age, say, four or five years. Reporter: At the age of four or five years? Prabhupäda: Yes. That’s a fact. Interview -- March 5, 1975, New York To be continued...

Abhi Prabhu, you are great. I will continue to speak to you, and if others want to hear they can, or they can skip my postings. This place is nondifferent than the deepest recesses of my heart, and to get inside all you have to do is look. I am ripping open my chest to expose it to you so that you can have full faith in Srila Prabhupada, Srila Bhatisiddhanta and all our previous acaryas. Of course those of an envious temprament or of an opposing camp, or sunken by offenses and/or the association of offenders of the most magnanimous and empowered acaryas every known, will ridicule, criticize, laugh, condemn, politic, and belittle. I really don't care for their behavior. I am only concerned that they not be allowed to dissuade and poison Srila Prabhupada's followers by their contrived nonsense rumors, machinations, and transcendental trickery, as I have personally witnessed. I have done the research, I know the players in this evil game of poisoning ISKCON devotees and I am launching a preventative strike on all such rascals. I am not going to advertise or glorify such rascals by mentioning their name. They know who they are, and let them be known and attacked by their symptoms. They are not deserving of any such names ending with "dasa" or "babaji" and I will not perpetrate an injustice by referring to them as such. Everyone has the right to follow their own path, I agree. But they don't have the right to blaspheme my guru parampara, as long as I am still breathing, I will be counter-attacking their insidious cowardly attacks against my gurus, also following in the fiery footsteps of Hanuman. That is my duty and my vow. As long as the recent prominent acaryas did not go for Sidha-Pranali, its OK with their followers. As long as the other most respected Vaishnava Acaryas are following sidha-pranali, that is also perfect, and will benefit their followers.

Ram Prabhu, I believe I have already given sufficient reason for not identifying myself. If whatever I have offered herein is of no relevance to your life then you can leave it. The relevance of my personal realization is just that, it is my personal realization. Those who are not envious can benefit from it, while those who simply argue and doubt will not. What I suspect we will find is that neophytes who lack sufficient arguments will become interested, and those closer to uttama adhikari will appreciate. Those stuck in the middle, the madhyamas will not stand to benefit due to being absorbed in argument. Srila Bhaktivinoida Thakura explains that this is the madhyamas disqualification to taste rasa. I see I have to remind you all that it is not by argument, I am not claiming to be a guru, your guru, or anyone's guru. I had some experiences, and I am sharing them, and I am not asking anyone to validate them for me, pick and analyse them to death, or anything like that. I am willing to share them and describe them to the best of my knowledge and ability if you request me, if I see it is benefitting you, and if you approach me in the proper way. I can see that most of you lack the requisite culture to take advantage of this type of knowledge and will probably just end the experiment no to again repeat it having gained this insight into the limitations imposed on the transfer of knowledge by the adhikara of the recipient. Let me just say to everyone, there is something most beautiful, most sweet and most wonderful in Vrindavan and I want everyone to know about it and experience it. I realize this is not the standard method of approaching the subject, and while Srila Krishnadas Kaviraja Gosvami says he shold not tell of his personal darshan with Lord Nityananda and Lord Govinda when he went to Vrindavan for the first time, still he narrates the darshan, which he says is due to the maddening influence of Lord Nityananda. There is a precedent for telling and for not telling. Maybe I am just too shameless. If no one is benefitting from this then I will cease communication. I have other things to do, and I will take this as Radharani's indication that this is not pleasing to Her. Your Servant

Thanks Krishna Prabhu. I read it once and it seemed okay. It appears to be in order philosophically. Your Servant

Raga Prabhu, we can say many things about the previous acaryas, but how much do we actually know for a fact? One thing I know for a fact is that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura warns his followers in Sri Bhajan Rahasya that one should not contemplate a siddha deha until he reaches the stage of bhava, otherwise his intelligence becomes bewildered. I know that certain grand disciples of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta are claiming that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's revelation of his spiritual identity through one of his songs (in Saranagati I believe) is proof that he practiced and taught the siddha pranali process. Unfortunately for those attached to this position, every direct disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta that was interviewed over the last 25 years by a close associate of mine (practically every GM sannyasi alive) tells the opposite, that Srila Bhativinoda Thakura attained his siddha deha through nama bhajan and not through the siddha pranali method. Who is the authority in this case? The fact that the story of the Jaiva Dharma novel incorporates the sidha pranali process into its storyline means absolutely nothing in terms of validating it as a method to be propagated by followers of our line. In fact, siddha pranali lends itself to story telling more than nama bhajan. What could you write about nama bhajan? He chanted and chanted and chanted and chanted and his spiritual identity was revealed, end of story. It doesn't make for such an interesting story as "The rasa guru revealed this and that" and so on. Srila Bhaktivinoda does not express his preference or practice of this siddha pranali method anywhere in his writings that I am aware of. He mentions in Jaiva Dharma that there are two methods of entering into rasa taught by Mahaprabhu to two different disciples. One was taught to Swarupa Damodara Gosvami (the internal method) who entrusted his notes to Srila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami (who we follow--Rupa-Raghunatha), and the other to Vrakreshvara Pandita (the external method), which made it to Dhyanachandra Gosvami (the siddha pranali process we don't follow). Srila Bhaktivinda Thakura had a specific mission, and his writings are meant to appeal to all classes of Vaishnavas as the pioneer and reviver of Vaishnavism after a period of utter decay and ruin of the sampradayas coming from Mahaprabhu. He was a unifying principle and that is still evident today. Even the Radha Kunda Babajis who blaspheme Srila Bhaktisiddhanta quote from, sing and glorify the songs and teachings of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. He was sowing the seeds of future unity which we are yet to realize, but hopefully soon to witness when all these issues become clarified and everyone surrenders. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta had another mission, which was to prepare the philosophical ground for establishing an international society of Vaishnavas by showing how proving how anyone can become a Vaishnavas and that a Vaishnava is equal to and greater than a brahmana. This was all in preparation for Srila Prabhupada who established KC around the world for the first time and established the lawbooks of human civilization or the next 10,000 years all over the world. Siddha Pranali is not the method that will globally awaken the fallen souls to Krishna consciousness. That is proven. Nama bhajan, chanting Hare Krishna is the universally applicable method and best strategy which has been successfully implemented by our previous acaryas. ISKCON is not a bhajan asrama, it is an international society meant to show world leaders by example how to make entire nations and entire planets Krishna conscious. Therefore we do things like varnasrama, cow protection, agriculture, and so on. What world leader will agree that all the people of his nation will be begging for food on madhukari? I personally cannot follow Srila Bhaktivinoda without first following Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, though unlike you, I fail to see the contradiction. We follow Rupa-Raghunatha. That is our superior method of bhajan. We don't claim to follow two different paths. Superior path means, the path chalked out by our superiors. We are not against others, but judge for yourself by the results. If one has faith in another camp let him be loyal there, but don't try to create scisms in our camp by falsely pitting one of our acaryas against the other as some have tried to scandleously do--they are one in harmonious instruction--catch up the dust of the lotus feet of Rupa-Raghunatha. Even if their method or instruction differs, which it doesn't, I cannot jump so high as to ignore Srila Bhaktisiddhanta to favor Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. By looking through the smaller eyepiece of the telescope one can see the bigger picture. By doing the reverse or seeing Bhaktisiddhanta through the eyes of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, one simply becomes a proud over-intelligent offender, whose realizations will always remain very small. There is alot of false and offensive propaganda being spread to destroy faith in Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, and I have found the main source, the Babajis at Radha Kunda. They are openly praising Srila Prabhupada and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, but are blaspheming Srila Bhaktisiddhanta saying things like he wasn't even initiated--still unable to tolerate the stinging and purifying words of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta (their well-wisher) that continue to echo across the prema-filled waters of Radha-kunda even 70 years later. When they surrender to him and acknowledge his greatness, they will be qualified to taste real nectar. If they do not, the caravan will still pass. (I admit there may be expections to the rule and there may be some who appreciate him--I am not refering to them if any such persons exist). Your Servant

Its okay Abhi Prabhu, it is a good intelligent question. This is a big issue. One certainly has to give up the endeavor for money, women, and followers, take shelter of Vrindavan, develop love for the Brajabasi and serve them, worship Govardhan Hill daily, become humble and feel oneself materially exhausted (akincana) with no ownership of possessions, worship the lotus feet of Radharani, associate with Her dear devotees, and chant the holy names in order to get direct service. This is explained in the teachings of Srila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami in Manah Siksha. It is a very important chapter of Sri Stavavali. Something amazing happened to me prior to my experience. I realized that Srimati Radharani had forcibly entered my consciousness. I was thinking about Her always and seeing everything in relationship to Her and Her desire, as Her arrangement. I was seeing how the Brajabasis were the recipients of Her mercy, and were Her people, very dear to Her. It was a very special occurance, which I believe was the precursor to getting the service opportunity. There were many tests, and I believe She gave me the intelligence to pass them, as least my guru confirmed that I was rewarded for passing many tests and being loyal. Things were happening around me materially like a whirlwind. Materially everything was aweful (from a materialistic point of view), but nothing at all bothered me, I was able to remain indifferent to all of it and take it as Her arrangement and mercy. After the experience I was not at all interested or inclined whatsoever to engage in any type of sense gratification. There was no pleasure in eating, and I rarely even bothered to do that. I was as if haunted by this experience and would remain alone just to relish the memory of it which would cause me to lay down and cry for hours on end. I would get into writing about it, reading my acaryas writings which were all confirming it, which would make me cry more by appreciating how merciful they are, and She is, and so on and so on. It would never end and I would have just left my body absorbed and obsessed in thoughts about Her and wanting to serve again. I was internally forced to make a decision. a) I live a recluse life wandering here and there so I can be alone to relish this, or I repress it and normalize my mind and emotions so that I can be effective in continuing my preaching work. There was no way I could function amidst any society, even brajabasis, in that condition. It was perceived externally by everyone as madness. People were asking people that knew me what happened to me all of a sudden and how I have become mad? I was unable to execute my daily maintenance routine, nothing else matter than to relish this nectar, write poems, read, cry, chant, and so on, as I was inspired. I don't wan to scare anyone, but I want to make one point I realize now why Srila Prabhupada wrote what he wrote, "work now, samadhi later." You cannot work and be in samadhi like that. Samadhi means nirjan bhajan, alone, because you are not sociable, socially acceptable, or at all interested in associating with others. The more you associate, the more the ecstasy goes away. Just like when Mahaprabhu realized materialists were present, the ecstasy he felt seeing Ramananda Raya faded and He normalized. It is like that, and preaching means to live amongst followers and people who are not so ecstatic to look at. Also, you are very cautious about making offenses, even mental ones. In that state humility is so great that you realize the greatness of even your previously worst enemies and repent over and over for offending them and realize how they share in the credit for you getting the mercy as a part of the Lord's plan to purify you. I was there. I am not there right now. I know how to get there, but I won't be going soon until my mission is accomplished, in this or a future lifetime, unless the Lord desires it. I am trying to resist. There is a lot of work to do. That is my obligation to my Gurus, who tirelessly worked to benefit me and you, at the expense of their own nirjan bhajan, which is nothing but pure bliss. Anyway I thank you for asking these questions because it is bringing back those moments in my life, I have been too busy to preaching to relish. I wish I had more time. Your Servant

Caitanya Mahaprabhu, therefore, said, "No, no, it is all right, but it is very difficult now." He is practical. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the...Namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te [Cc. Madhya 19.53]. He is studied by Rupa Gosvami as the most munificent avatara, incarnation. There are many incarnation, but He's the most munificent, vadanya, the supreme charitable. Why? Krsna-prema-pradaya te. He is distributing love of Krsna like anything. Krsna-prema-pradaya te [Cc. Madhya 19.53]. One cannot understand Krsna. manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye yatatam api siddhanam kascin mam vetti tattvatah [bg. 7.3] To understand Krsna is very, very difficult. Out of many, many millions of person, one tries for making his life successful. And out of many, many such successful, yatatam api siddhanam [bg. 7.3], one who has attained siddhi, such person, may... One may understand Krsna. So Krsna, to understand... So first of all, we cannot understand Krsna. Then what is the, where is the question of love of Krsna? If you do not understand somebody, how you can love him? Love is far, far away. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu is so kind that He is distributing krsna-prema: "Take, anyone. Come on." Krsna-prema-pradaya te [Cc. Madhya 19.53]. So therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu is very practical, that "I want to give krsna-prema. One should be ecstatic, emotional in krsna-prema. One shall cry for Krsna." And He taught everyone by His practical example how He was mad after Krsna. Govinda-virahena me. Sunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me. This is krsna-prema: without Krsna, one should see everything vacant. This is Radharani's prema. But that is not possible for ordinary human being. It might be possible for Caitanya Mahaprabhu and few devotees. Just like His immediate disciples, the Six Gosvamis, they were also following the same principle. In the Vrndavana the Six Gosvamis used to live. But they were seeking Krsna, becoming mad. he radhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-suno kutah sri-govardhana-kalpa-padapa-tale kalindi-vane kutah ghosantav iti sarvato vraja-pure khedair maha-vihvalau vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau So they were mad after Krsna: "Where is Krsna?" They never said, "We have seen Krsna." And Caitanya Mahaprabhu also, He said, "I was dreaming of Krsna, and why you wake Me? I have lost the chance." In this way they were making bhajana. This is called viraha-bhajana, viraha-bhajana, separation. That is very recommended process. So we should be awakened, awaken our consciousness, Krsna consciousness, in such a way that being separated from Krsna, we shall become mad after Him. This is called krsna-prema. That prema was being distributed by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And He is still distributing. So how this prema can be awakened easily, that has been recommended by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, quoting from Lord Brahma's prayer to Krsna, jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. Don't try to understand Krsna by your tiny knowledge. We are imperfect. How we can speculate on Krsna? That is not... Because there are certain persons, jnanis, they want to know. Just like theosophists. They want to know the Absolute Truth by speculation. But that is not possible. athapi te deva padambuja-dvaya- prasada-lesanugrhita eva hi janati tattvam bhagavan-mahimno na canya eko 'pi ciram vicinvan [sB 10.14.29] Ciram, for many, many years, if you speculate, you cannot understand Krsna. You have to receive the mercy of Krsna through the spiritual master. Then it is possible. That is recommended by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir ye prayaso 'jita. Krsna's another name is Ajita; you cannot conquer Him. When Krsna was present, He had to fight with so many demons, but nobody could conquer Him. That is the history. He conquered everyone, but nobody could conquer Him. He is conquered by His devotee only. That's all. Therefore His name is Ajita. Ajita. If you want to conquer over Ajita, then you simply... Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that "Don't speculate." Sthane sthitah... Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. Be submissive: "Krsna, I am very poor. Krsna, I have no means to understand You. So if You kindly be merciful upon me, then I can understand something about You." Surrender. That is wanted. Krsna is very merciful as soon as He sees that somebody is surrendered. srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani vidhunoti suhrt-satam [sB 1.2.17] If we... This is the process. If we hear about Krsna...Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. You remain in your position. Don't change. Either you are brahmana or sudra or grhastha or sannyasi, it doesn't matter. But you hear about Krsna. This is the process. This is the first-class process. So we are opening hundreds and thousands... Not thousands, we have opened about 102 centers all over the world. But we want to open thousands. But we are in need of assistance. But nobody is coming. Anyway, the Europeans, Americans, some of them have joined. Still, we required many thousands because Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission is prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama: He wants to spread this Krsna consciousness movement not in this city or that city but nagaradi grama. Just like here we have opened a center in Gandhigram. But in Bombay such hundreds and thousands centers can be opened. It is so big city. Similarly, there are other cities. It is required. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama And that is the duty of the Indians, bharata-vasi. That is also Caitanya Mahaprabhu's desire. bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara [Cc. Adi 9.41] This Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy, krsna-prema distribution, is the best, topmost para-upakara, welfare activity. Therefore every Indian should understand the philosophy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu or the philosophy of Krsna, Krsna consciousness, the same philosophy. Krsna says His philosophy is sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: [bg. 18.66] "Just surrender to Me. I will give you protection." And Caitanya Mahaprabhu's philosophy is the same. He is Krsna, but as He has appeared as devotee. He says, yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna'-upadesa: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] "Whomever you meet, you Indian, bharata-vasi, you just try to understand this Krsna philosophy, Bhagavad-gita, and make your life successful and go door to door and say this ‘krsna'-upadesa." Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [bg. 18.66]. Bas. You become guru. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. So we should give chance to people to hear about Krsna. Therefore we are opening so many centers. Please come and hear about Krsna. Then gradually you will assimilate. Because Krsna and Krsna's words, they are not different -- absolute. When we hear about Krsna, that means we are directly associating with Krsna. And the more you associate with Krsna, the more you become purified. Hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani vidhunoti. Krsna helps in washing your dirty things within the heart. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. The same thing, Caitanya Mahaprabhu says. Then, when we are free, tat-paratvena nirmalam, you become purified, we become purified. Then immediately we revive our Krsna consciousness and engage ourself in Krsna's service. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end) (SP Srimad Bhagavatam Lecture 3.25.30 Bombay Nov 30, 1974)

Yet another important part of Srila Prabhupada's mission... Prabhupäda: Village... Just like you acquire some land. That you will get. It is not very... Is it difficult? Guest (2): No, sir. Prabhupäda: Just we are doing so many places. So you produce your own food grains, not for making money but just for feeding yourself and the animals, cows. Keep cows, as many cows as possible, and produce, till the ground, field, and make water supply arrangement. If the investment is required, we shall do that. You have no worry about investment. We shall bring money from anywhere. But the work must be done very nicely. There must be good arrangement for water supply and for plowing and keeping the cows in order. Then you get sufficient milk, sufficient food grains and produce your own cloth. The girls and ladies, they can spine (spin) thread, and from the thread you make cloth, handlooms. So your first necessities of life, eating, and make little cottage, sleeping... And if you want sex, get yourself married, live peacefully. And when you are there you can defend yourself. So the first necessity is how to eat and how to cover. That you have to provide. That is not difficult. You can do it. And then you become peaceful, no anxiety for your maintenance. And then cultivate this spiritual knowledge the same way. Have a temple there. Have... Go on chanting, offering prasädam. You have got your food grains. Don’t be dependent on anyone else. Become self-independent. And don’t be after money. Simply produce your bare necessities of life. Keep yourself fit, strong. And chant Hare Kåñëa, read book. Then you’ll grow strong. Is there any difficulty? Room Conversation -- October 5, 1975, Mauritius

Another important part of SP's mission... Prabhupada: The politician’s business will be to exploit the poor citizens. And they will be embarrassed and harassed so much: by one side, no sufficient rain, and therefore scarcity of food, and the other side, taxation by the government. In this way, the people will be so much harassed that they’ll give up their home and go to the forest. Very [pitiful]… Unless they take to Kåñëa consciousness, they’ll not be saved. The varnasrama college has to be established immediately. Everywhere, wherever we have got our center, a varnasrama college should be established to train four divisions: one class, brahmana; one class, ksatriya; one class, vaisya; and one class, sudra. But everyone will be elevated to the spiritual platform by the spiritual activities which we have prescribed. There is no inconvenience, even for the sudras …So everywhere, in each center, this system should be introduced, and there must be practical application of the varnasrama. At the same time, this program of devotional service. Then it will go on very nicely. …But if you show that you are actually doing something ideal, then they will appreciate. Make a small unit of community and show ideal life, not idle life. Ideal life. — Morning Walk Vrndavana 12 March 1974

A very important part of Srila Prabhupada's mission... Calcutta 18 January, 1977 77-01-18 To All Iskcon Temple Presidents, Please accept my blessings. Now you must arrange in each temple there must be sufficient stock of prasadam for distribution. You can keep first class cooks, two or three, and they should be always engaged. Whenever any guest comes, he must get prasada. This arrangement must be made, that the cooks prepare ten-twenty servings at a time, of puris and subji, and you can add halava and pakoras, and the visitors must be supplied immediately. Whenever a gentleman comes, he must be served. As the twenty servings are being distributed, immediately the cooks prepare another twenty servings and store it. At the end of the day, if no one comes, our own men will take, so there is no loss. You cannot say, ``it is finished,'' ``it is not cooked yet,'' ``there is no supply for cooking'' etc. This must be enforced rigidly. The temple is managed by Srimati Radharani, Laksmiji; so why should there be want? Our philosophy is, if anyone comes, let him take prasada, chant Hare Krsna and be happy. Everything is being supplied by Krsna, Krsna is not poor, so why we should deny them? This should be done at any cost. There is no difficulty, it simply requires nice management. At the end of the day you may sell or give away. If we believe that Krsna is providing and maintaining everyone, then why should we be misers? This means losing faith in Krsna, and thinking that we are the doers and suppliers. We are confident Krsna will supply! Let the whole world come , we can feed them. So please do this nicely, begin at once. Hoping this meets you all in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami ACBS/rds Letter to: All Iskcon Temple Presidents -- Calcutta 18 January, 1977

Thank you Abhi, you are greatly generous. It feels great to be amongst humans. Your Servant

For the record, I do not wear saris, anklebells or sport long hair or a beard. I never considered myself Jesus or any other spiritual personality. My spiritual name does not appear in any of our acaryas writings, so I am certainly not an eternally liberated soul or an associate of any note or importance. I just consider that I got lucky. I really am not a deserving person. Your Servant

Secretly only in the sense that my material identity is being left out of the discussion. This is for your benefit. If you were to know many things about me, especially my life prior to receiving Radharani's mercy, it would probably distract most. My precedent is Jada Bharat or the Avanti Brahmana, I can't recall just now, who left for meditation in an asrama where he was careful not to reveal his past life and identity. This becomes an obstacle for hearing and chanting. One should not refer to a devotees past life and one should not dwell on one's past activities but remain absorbed in glorifying Krishna in the present moment. This is for mutual protection. I am coming in the line of Srila Prabhupada. I am not identifying myself with the varnasrama system. I only identify myself as the eternal maidservant of Srimati Radharani's lotus feet who is under the guidance of the maidservants headed by Sri Rupa Manjari. In Gaura-lila I am an eternal servant of the servants of Srila Prabhupada. Another reason is that I have a completely different, yet connected, mission to execute here, and I don't believe that publicly identifying myself as self-realized and a propounder of rasa-tattva is going to be favorable to achieving success in that service due to the audience I am preaching to. Maybe someday I will be able to come forward, if is will serve any beneficial purpose, and maybe someday I will give diksha. For now, anyway, it will remain like this. You can still get the knowledge from me, and I am not requesting anything of you except to serve Srila Prabhupada's mission. For me right now this is an experiment. I want to see how things go and how yo all actually benefit from this type of presentation. Generally, I have found, in my day-to-day life it is nearly impossible to find someone to share this with. Personal identities and physical association generally are not conducive for such discussions. I am finding a certain freedom of expression here, and by my nature I prefer to express myself in writing anyway. So please bear with me and try to extract the essence. There are many songs from anonymous Vaishnava poets and they can also be sung as long as they are not deviated from the philosophy. I am not a Vaishnava. I am a fallen soul who has received a most valuable gift. I am not an example of achieving perfection through excellent adherance to sadhana, though I made the attempt. I never did anything I am aware of to receive the mercy I was given. It is all the glory of my most merciful Queen, who kindly engaged me in Her most wonderful service. Your Servant

A very big question Bhaktavasya Prabhu! First let me say that contrary to popular belief there is sex in the spiritual world. This is Lord Caitanya's greatest contribution to the field of religious thought according to Srila Prabhupada. That one can have sex with the Lord. No one has ever revealed such a wonderful concept before. Sex in the spiritual world is the perfection of love. It is the most beautiful thing. Actually no one in this material world has ever even had sex, real sex that is. Everyone here is getting cheated by Maya with fake sex. The sex here and there is the same in form, more or less, only that they really know how to do it there. Here no one really knows how to even imitate the spiritual form of sex. They are all very expert in the spiritual world. Material sex is all amatuer stuff. So material sex is form without substance. Like the reflection of a material body in a mirror, the reflection looks the same, the form is the same. But the reflection does not have a body temperature of 98.6 F for example. It has no substance. Let's get real basic here...a man with a penis inserts it into a woman's vagina. So that form of sex is the same, it is going on materially and spiritually. I want everyone to understand the reality very clearly. Sorry to be graphic, but beating around the bush tends to mullify concepts and create misconceptions. Radha and Krishna and the gopis are all masters of the kama sutras. They enjoy all the possible combinations and permutations of those sexual acts described therein. Now the difference is in the substance. They are using spiritual bodies and materially all you have to work with is the material body. The substance of spiritual sex is sat-cit-ananda, whereas material sex is based on the material body of asat, acit, and nirananda. That is why real spiritual sex causes bliss (ananda) and material sex causes suffering (nirananda). So I say, no one really even knows what real sex is like. The spiritual sex is the original real variety (adi rasa), and Maya is cheating everyone into thinking that they are enjoying the real valuable sex, when they are only really experiencing the reflection which causes suffering. Everyone is proud of their miserly sex life, which would be laughable to anybody who knows what real spiritual sex is like, except for the fact that one is more moved to cry for the pitiable material condition of the fallen soul than laugh. There is nothing here to be proud of, only everything to be embarrassed and ashamed of. This is a very lowly and fallen platform of existence. One who intelligently sees through the illusion of material sex and thus gives up the endeavor for it has a chance to realize the eternal blissful reality of spiritual sex life in the spiritual realm. It is worth it. All we have to give up is our illusion. Once we go beyond illusion we can see everything in its proper perspective. shunyayitam jagat sarvam. Everything in this material world is vacant, void, empty, tasteless, dry, nasty, lifeless, and pitiable. If we are attracted to anything of this world we are under the illusory energy of Maya. Maya is making a fool and an ass out of the conditioned soul. She is playing everyone for a sucker. When you realize how you have been cheated then you will surely spit at the thought of material sex life and what a nasty thing and dirty trick it is. No substance. No ananda. Your Servant [This message has been edited by BVI (edited 05-27-2002).]

Thank you for the welcome. Nasta prayeshu abhadreshu nityam bhagavata sevaya This is more or less the verse that expresses your statements. This is desribing the stage of self-realization which begins truly at the stage of bhava, when almost all anarthas are practically destroyed, but some remain. This is the meaning of being practically liberated at the stage of bhava, or jivan mukta (situated in the material body yet liberated). One can see maya and generally does not become victimized by maya, though fall down is possible from the bhava platform. Perfectional stage is prema. Bhava is the result of sadhana. Sadhana is meant to take one to bhava-bhakti, and then to prema-bhakti. It is not that you become a manjari and directly serve Radharani and then you are free from condition life. You must become free and then you can become a manjari. Generally, before hitting Goloka you will cross Brahmajyoti and be already liberated by offenseless chanting. Of course, it can all happen simultaneously, and that is real causeless mercy. Like a flash of lightning everything is revealed and all impurities of the subtle body ("all that is troublesome to the heart") are practically destroyed. Those impurities means thoughts, feelings, desires, self-conceptions, material conceptions of life and so on that pollute the ego, mind and intelligence (subtle body). The power of the spiritual impression (samskara) is so great that all lower tastes and conceptions are practically destroyed. One factually realizes he is not the body, and positively realizes his spiritual body. That spiritual experience destroys the false ego, purifies the intelligence, thoughts get focused greedily on relishing that again, feelings of love and attachment for the object of love awaken, and desire is to serve and please the object of love. Thus the entire subtle body is spirtually transformed as one begins to identify with his newly realized spiritual body, even in external consciousness. The siddha pranali advocates try to artificially trick the intelligence into identify with a new spiritual identity through imaginative raganuga sadhana types of seva, prior to the stage of bhava when it really happens. This is not enough of an impression to purify the intellgence and false ego to control the mind. The natural path is to serve and please the Lord and reach the stage of Bhava by the causeless mercy of Guru and Krishna. That is the process advocated by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta and Srila Prabhupada, and the one that works. Well, at least it worked for this fallen soul by their blessings. Constant engagement in bhajan and specifically here, bhagavat seva, is required to get to that point. tesam satata yuktanam bhajatam priti purvakam. By constant engagement in bhajan with affection (priti) and full of eagerness and desire (purva kama), then Krishna gives intelligence by which to advance in bhakti (dadami buddhi yogam tam), and come to Him (yena mam upayanti te). More correctly, Krishna comes to you being attracted by the fragrant scent of the flower of your awakened bhava. "Don't try to see Krishna, but act in such a way that Krishna wants to see you." (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur). We cannot actually approach Krishna by our own endeavor, even by offenseless chanting. Yes, that will only bring you to the Brahmajyoti. To go further you require the causless mercy of the Hladini Shakti to decend upon you and reveal your spiritual identity. This is explained by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Factually Krishna is responding to the appearance of Radharani who has come into your heart to initiate you into your siddha svarupa, or eternal spiritually perfected body. Wherever She goes, He is soon to follow. By associating and serving Radharani, one becomes attractive to Krishna. Like crystal we become like our associates. So the secret here is to associate with Radharani, worship the dust of Her lotus feet, take shelter in Her abode of Vrindavan, and associate with Her associates. Without doing this you will never see Krishna. Of course, prior to this process, one should take shelter of the lotus feet of Krishna, and by His mercy one's attactment to Krishna will be transferred to the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani, but not always, only if one desires. Some are more attached to Krishna, and that is perfectly fine. Some are equally attached to Both, and some more to Radharani. It is a matter of personal preference. There is no right or wrong. I hope this helps someone. Your Servant

Thank you for your blessings Bhaktajoy. First I can say that Srimati Radharani is the most compassionate and merciful. Her kindness and mercy is beyond comprehension, as is Her love for Krishna. She is prepared to do anything to please Him, and She knows best how to please Him. No one else can satisfy Him. During my brief moments of serving Her, I was fixated or focused on Her. Krishna was there, but my consciousness was amazingly drawn to Her. Even while I was personally serving Krishna on Her order, I was focused on Her. I found a verse after this experience by Srila Prabhodhananda Sarasvati Thakura that best expresses this attachment to Radharani. It was from Radha Rasa Sudha Nidhi, and it was explaining how a manjari was dancing with Krishna in the rasa dance, but her mind was fixed on the footprints previously made on the rasa mandala by her queen Srimati Radharani. In other words the manjaris are more interested in Radharani than Krishna, even when they are dancing with Him or serving Him in intimate situations. It is a very beautiful thing to be attached to Radharani's lotus feet. Your Servant

The answer is "Yes.No." and "Maybe." "Yes" in the sense that what I experienced was not specificially mentioned in the writings of my previous acaryas, though I have not read everything by them, so it may be there somewhere. What I experienced was within the revealed categories of possible experiences, but I have yet to see this particular variety of experience listed or directly revealed. "No", in the sense that I realize that I am certainly not the first or last to have had my particular experience and that the acaryas certainly were not without such experiences. I have only found one other person who had a similar experience exactly on the lines of my own. I am inclined to conclude, until I receive further instructions, that in the better judgement of my previous acaryas such things are not essential and are highly confidential and subject to cause misunderstandings and errors on the part of neophytes. I see how they have given everything one needs to know to come to the platform of having your own experience and highly confidential ones like the one I had. They have given the path and the goal. There is absolultely nothing lacking in their teachings. Everything one requires to achieve perfection is in Srila Prabhupada's teachings. That I can say for sure. "Maybe", in the sense that I am a blabber-mouth and am likely to tell you anyway. I might end up breeching confidence, though factually no one told me not to tell. I may receive some instruction to reveal this experience, and will be happy to do so at that time. So let us see how things go. The bottom line is that whatever happened to me completely confirmed the validity of the teachings of all our acaryas. So I really have nothing new to offer you. All I can hopefully do is guide some of you who are off the track in a few places or to clear doubts about some of the points in understanding the process and the goal. Thank you for your nice question. I appreciate your reluctance to blindly surrender. Blind following is condemned. It is appropriate that you are testing me by this question. I seriously had to grapple with this question after my experience, as to whether or not I should reveal it as something new. Of course, it is not new, but it seemed inappropriate after considering that my previous masters did not reveal such. They have a mission and a strategy and I don't want to tamper with that. That you asked me this question is a sign to me that Radharani has arranged this meeting place with all of you. I am very happy with you all and your kindly welcoming me here and letting me serve you by remembering my wonderful gift. I hope it helps you better understand the situation. Your Servant

I starting reading this thread and felt I should offer my help. It seems some of you are not sure of the difference between spiritual and material sex. Of course, without knowing the difference practically it is not possible to penetrate this mystery. I have personally experienced and seen much confusion on this topic over the years. It is unfortunate because this is really something people need to understand for their ultimate welfare. I really want everyone to understand this properly and become happy. The only way to really understand this subject is to have the experience. But for those of you who have not yet come to this stage of realization, I can offer some insight, if you will allow me. What are my qualifications to speak on this subject? A little scholarship and a little experience. Not much of either. I am positive there are greater scholars, and those with greater experience than me. To find someone with both scholarship and experience (realization) is rare, and then to find someone willing to share with you is even rarer. Once you have an experience you want to tell everyone. I really want to share the beautiful realizations given to me, but the reality is that I can not speak these things to ordinary people, even if I desire it. To paraphrase Mahaprabhu, who says, "My mind is not my own. Even if I want to look into the face of a renunciant who secretly speaks with women, I cannot do it." So it is like that in the sense that the Supersoul directs who and when to speak these confidential topics to. This knowledge is the topmost wealth and I am just like a banker, the money deposited with me by my Master is not my property to give freely, but only to those They desire. I try and try and only rarely do I come across one who can differentiate pearls from fecal matter. Most people are far too envious to share this with. Krishna explains this dynamic to Arjuna explaining that He is revealing confidential knowledge because he is a non-envious friend. So this forum is a way that maybe I can share someting with you, or maybe not. But let's give it a try anyway. I am game. Of course, some people are more shameless than others, and "kiss and tell" is definitely not always appreciated. But to philosophically understand the real situation or difference between the two (material and spiritual sex) is certainly the bona fide endeavor and mercy of the acaryas beginning with Srila Madhavendra Puri, as well as, Jayadev Gosvami, Bilvamangala Thakura, Lord Caitanya, Rupa Gosvami, Krishna dasa Kaviraja Gosvami, Visvanatha Chakrabarti Thakur and others. Adi rasa is a very confidential and esoteric subject that deserves a thorough explanation for the purpose of enlightening and enlivening the fallen souls to their original constitutional position, for those who are attracted in that way. Some will naturally be averse to this rasa and should even avoid it, depending upon their eternal relationship with the Lord. I will remain anonymous for these discussions because my material situation really has nothing to do this subject and frankly I don't want the attention, though I would like to be of service if possible. I see so many devotees who are misinformed, yet attracted, and struggling with misconceptions, embarrassment, and impropriety as they try to approach this topic. It certainly is a razor's edge. We have to be careful and respectful, but not necessarily silent. It is fire and we need to remain the proper distance so that we get the benefit of it without getting too close for comfort. Actually the way to approach this or any other spiritual topic is through submissive sincere inquiry from a realized soul who has seen the truth of the topic of your concern (tattva darsinah). To paraphrase Srila Prabhupada, who explains that such a person is guru "Who has seen Krishna. Just like Arjuna. Those who have seen Krishna. Make them guru." I know what you are going to say next. "So you are saying that you have seen Krishna, had spiritual sex with Him, and that makes you a guru, right?" I will honestly state the facts as I understand them to be: 1) I had darshan of Srimati Radharani and Lord Krishna. 2) The darshan took place in my original spiritual body, not the physical body I reside in at this time. 3) I was engaged in Srimati Radharani's confidential service. 4) This happened on two more occassions since then. 5) On the last occassion I also had darshan of Mahaprabhu after witnessing Radha-Madhava in golden forms embracing and combining, leaving only Gaura-Govinda remaining (without peacock feather). If that makes me a guru, then I am a guru. I don't claim to be a guru. I am claiming to have been given the above experiences, and I can share whatever realizations I have had as a result of those experiences. I am Srimati Radharani's maidservant. That was revealed to me. She called me by my name, which ends with "Manjari". Just consider me a kind of messenger or servant who was given something most valuable to share with you. That doesn't make me great, it only demonstrates the greatness of my most-merciful master, who has given the highest thing to the lowest rascal. She knows I am a blabber-mouth, so I think She is being merciful to you (knowing that I am terrible at keeping secrets). If a dirty poor man is given the greatest diamond worth more than all the wealth of the universe, we call him "rich", even though he may look, act, smell, and think like a dirty and poor man. Bottom line is that he has been given the greatest jewel, and that is not even his greatness, it is the greatness of the person who gave it to him out of their causeless mercy. Externals are external are externals. There is no material impediments to independent bhakti who can bestow the highest upon the lowest. I know I am a dirty rascal, but if you have faith in Srila Prabhupada, who said, "According to material estimation one may be rascal number one, STILL he can be guru." then you may benefit from my experience. Here you can only judge me by what I write on my experiences and the philosophy, not by my social, economic or political appearance, which certainly is deceiving and distracting causing those around me to mostly be unable to benefit from my experience. "A sadhu the world over, but never in your home town." But I must add, I am not up for scientific analysis, and I don't want to argue. The process is based on inquiry with submission. Only by that process can one benefit. If someone has a sincere doubt or question then I will try to answer it for you. That is all I can promise. That is the process and the culture I will adhere to. If you agree not to challenge and to ask relevant spiritual questions, then I will try to clear your doubts. That is all. I can give you siksha if you want and ask for it, but not diksha. That is my rule. The way to serve me is to help Srila Prabhupada save the world by rendering service to his movement in the best way you know how, utilizing everything you have and know to the best of your ability. If you are here in this forum you are probably already doing that, so I will consider you have already paid me for my service, and I am your ready and willing servant. Ask me anything you like. Of course, I am wondering how you will receive this overt offer of guidance. "Don't disturb the ignorant" says Lord Krishna, but His servants think otherwise. I don't want to disturb anyone, but it disturbs me more to see people being misguided, so that has moved me to project myself into your environment. Please just try to understand the truth by approaching with submission, inquiries and service, and you will someday soon have your own diamond-like experiences to share with others less fortunate than you. I can share my jewels with you, but only if you act like a human. Religion is meant for the human beings not for the swine. Your Servant