Translation Thus the King, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, sat to fast until death. All the demigods of the higher planets praised the King’s actions and in pleasure continually scattered flowers over the earth and beat celestial drums. Purport Even up to the time of Mahārāja Parīkṣit there were interplanetary communications, and the news of Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s fasting
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HH Bhaktimarga Swami’s talk, part of a bi-weekly program, explores Bhagavad Gita 3.40 and themes of love, lust, and spirituality. He emphasizes self-discipline, mindful living, and connection with Krishna. Stories, analogies, and practical advice highlight how to navigate distractions, prioritize service, and integrate spiritual practices like chanting and training into daily life for inner growth.
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The video shares heartfelt stories and teachings of Srila Prabhupada, founder of ISKCON, highlighting his wisdom, humor, and care. It reflects on his guidance for living a Krishna-conscious life, the unifying power of kirtan, and his vision for spreading spirituality globally. Set against the 1960s-70s backdrop, it captures his transformative impact on disciples and their
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The epic video serial on the life of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. High Quality 45 episodes of each 30 minutes It is produced and distributed by Veda Foundation, the public charitable trust of His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami. The serial, based on the biography Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta by His Holiness Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami,
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Govardhan Eco Village near Mumbai demonstrates sustainable living through organic farming, rural development, women empowerment, and community collaboration. It revitalizes the concept of ancient temple towns, integrating spiritual, social, and sustainable impacts (S3). Recognized globally, it fosters harmony and ecological balance.
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Shri Jayadeva Goswami appeared in either the eleventh or twelfth century of the Shaka era. There is a difference of opinion about his place of birth. The majority opinion holds that he was from the village of Kendubilva, presently in the district of Birbhum. Others claim that he was born in either Orissa or South India.

Kendubilva is situated about twenty miles south of Siuri on the banks of the Ajaya River. In the Gaudiya Vaishnava Abhidhana, it is stated that Jayadeva found his Radha Madhava Deities in this river’s waters. It is also stated there that he used to rest and worship at the temple of Shiva known as Kusheshwar, which is also on the banks of the Ajaya River. Jayadeva’s father was named Bhojadeva and his mother, Vama Devi.

Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakur writes in his Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya that Lakshman Sen was delighted when he heard Jayadeva’s hymn to the ten incarnations, the Dasavatara-stotra. When Govardhan Acharya notified the king that it was Jayadeva who had composed the hymn, he became desirous to meet the poet. 

He went incognito to Jayadeva’s house and when he saw him, he noticed that Jayadeva possessed all the characteristics of a great and powerful spiritual personality. Deeply impressed and attracted to Jayadeva, the king revealed his identity to him and invited him to come and live in the royal palace. Jayadeva was leading a very renounced life and was therefore unwilling to live in the opulent environment of the palace. He told the king that he preferred to live in Jagannath Puri.

Lakshman Sen was disappointed by Jayadeva’s intentions. He quickly suggested that he take up residence in the village of Champa Hati, saying that it was a place suitable for a person who wished to lead a meditative life. He also promised him that he would never come to disturb him again. 

When Jayadeva agreed, Lakshman Sen had a cottage built for him in the village that was formerly known as Champaka-hatta, named after the beautiful garden of champa trees and the village market where Mahaprabhu’s associate Dvija Baninath received a vision of Him in the Satya Yuga, seeing Him in the form of a Brahmin whose skin was the color of champa flower. 

Similarly, Jayadeva had a vision here, first of Radha-Madhava, then of Their combined form as the golden champa-colored Gauranga Mahaprabhu. 

After the Lord gave Jayadeva this vision, He told him to go to Jagannath Puri. Although Jayadeva was sad to leave the future abode of his Lord, he obeyed the Lord’s command and made his way to Puri, where it is said that he was engaged as the king of Orissa’s court poet. 

He spent the remainder of his life in the abode of Lord Jagannath, where he wrote the transcendental poem based on the sentiment of love in separation known as Gita-govinda or Astapadi. Indeed, Mahaprabhu told Jayadeva while giving him the vision of Navadwip that after appearing there, He would take sannyas and go to Jagannath Puri where He would relish the Gita-Govinda.

According to legend, Jagannath Himself ordered Jayadeva to marry his wife, Padmavati. The story is told in the Visvakosa as follows: there once was a Brahmin who was without offspring despite having worshiped Jagannath for many years in the hope of having a son. Finally, he and his wife had a daughter and they named her Padmavati. 

When she came of marriageable age, the Brahmin brought her to Lord Jagannath to offer her to his lotus feet. When He saw them, Jagannath said to the Brahmin, “I have a servant whose name is Jayadeva. He has given up family life and has dedicated himself to chanting My names. Give your daughter to him in marriage.”

The Brahmin took his daughter to Jayadeva and asked him to marry his daughter. However, since Jayadeva had no desire to get married, he refused to agree to any such arrangement. The Brahmin then told him that it was Jagannath Himself who had arranged this marriage; and without another word, he left, leaving his daughter behind. Jayadeva found himself totally unprepared for this situation and told the girl, “Tell me where you want to go and I will take you and leave you there. You cannot stay here.”

Padmavati started to cry and said, “My father brought me here to marry you on Jagannath Deva’s order. You are my husband, my all in all. If you do not accept me, then I will fall down at your feet and die right here. You are my only hope, my Lord.” The poet and scholar Jayadev could not abandon her after such a heartfelt plea. So he became a householder.

[Later], Jayadeva took his Deities Radha and Madhava with him, and set off on a long journey. Once in Vrindavan, he began to serve his Deities in an area near Keshi Ghat. When the residents of the Dham heard Jayadeva sing the Gita-Govinda in his sweet voice, they were entranced. One merchant built a large temple for the Deities on that site.

It is said that Jayadeva returned to his birthplace in Kendubilva after living in Vrindavan for many years. He spent the rest of his life there, worshipping his Deities and performing his bhajan. He would make the long walk to the Ganges every day to take his bath there. One day, for some reason or another, he was unable to make it. Ganga Devi was so kind to him that she came personally to the village of Kendubilva so that he would bathe in her holy waters. It is said that Jayadeva died in Kendubilva and every year on the first day of the month a Magh, a large festival, is held there in his memory.

There is, however, a difference of opinion about where Jayadeva finished his life. Though some say he returned to Kendubilva, others claim it was Puri, and still others say that he went to Vrindavan. Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur has stated his opinion that Jayadeva left this world from Jagannath Puri. 

Though some people say that Jayadeva returned to Kendubilva to spend his last days, there is no indication anywhere that he brought his Radha-Madhava Deities with him. In fact, these Deities were taken by the king of Jaipur to a place named Ghati sometime after Jayadeva’s passing away and they are still being served in the Jaipur area.

By Dandavats Staff Writer

Harinaam Sankirtan: Path to Spiritual Bliss. Free Prasadam Distribution Across Ayodhya Dham. "Temple Worship" Unit at Mayapur Academy! K??? a's Devotee and Material Condition (Quote from Nectar of Instruction). Vaishnava Etiquette by HH Romapada Maharaj. French Bhagavatam Sells Like Hot Cakes A Spiritual Phenomenon in France. Why Israelis Are Becoming Krishna Devotees A Spiritual Shift in Israel. ISKCON LA Temple Distributes Food to Firefighters and Police Officers. Radha Krishna Prabhu (GBC) - Srimad Bhagavatam Class (Cyprus, Limassol). Quotes from Prabhupada Meditations, Volume 4 Continue reading "Global Waves of Devotion, Transcendental Triumphs and Heartfelt Lessons on January 21
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Firefighters and police officers in Los Angeles work together to manage the Palisades wildfire. The fire, which started on January 7, quickly spread due to severe drought conditions and strong Santa Ana winds. Firefighters pre-deployed resources, including fire engines, command teams, brush patrols, water tenders, and air operations personnel. Evacuation warnings and orders were issued
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A growing number of Israelis are turning to Krishna consciousness and embracing the teachings of Bhakti Yoga. In this video, we explore why more and more people in Israel are finding spiritual fulfillment and connection with Krishna. Discover the transformative power of chanting, devotion, and spiritual service that is spreading in this vibrant country. 🌿
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The Bhagavatam in French is quickly becoming a spiritual sensation in France! With its deep wisdom and divine teachings, it’s capturing the hearts and minds of countless readers. Watch as we dive into the growing popularity of this sacred text and how it’s making an impact across the French-speaking world. 🌟 **In This Video**: How
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HH Romapada Maharaj discusses Vaishnava etiquette, focusing on respecting others despite conditioning, trauma, or misfortune. He emphasizes tolerance, intelligence in applying principles, and seeking guidance from mentors. The session explores topics like cultural conduct, inner cultivation, and balancing respect with discernment, alongside Q&A on challenges, gratitude, and respectful exchanges in devotion.
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Here are some glimpses from the ongoing “Temple Worship” unit at Mayapur Academy! This unit offers a comprehensive journey into the heart of deity worship. Students are learning various aspects of temple services, including Acaman, Aarti, Bhoga offerings, Deity Shyana, Uthan rituals, Shodash Upacara, and Mantras. With a strong emphasis on philosophical foundations, the unit
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By Dandavats Staff Writer

SB Class by HH Trivikram Swami in Iskcon Pune. The importance of reading. Introductory Handbook For Krsna Consciousness. Life and Afterlife: Does Modern Science Have it Right? SB Class by HG Narayani Mataji - Melbourne. PM Modi's Speech at the Inauguration of Sri Radha Madan Mohan Mandir. Boarding The Jaladuta - Kidderpore dock, Kolkata. London Harinama brings the world together! Govardhan EcoVillage welcomed 1 million visitors in 2024! January 2025 Sunday Festival at Hare Krishna Valley. The New Govardhana community thanks all the Book Distribution Marathon participants. Bhumi Puja Krishna Balaram Cultural Centre ISKCON Vrindavan Continue reading "Celebrating ISKCON’s Growth: Books, Festivals, and Centers on January 20
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The video showcases the Bhumi Puja ceremony for the Krishna Balaram Cultural Centre at ISKCON Vrindavan. The speakers express gratitude to attendees and outline the project’s significance. Key highlights include: Project Overview: The center will include guest rooms and facilities to inspire devotees and promote Krishna Consciousness globally. High-Quality Construction: Use of top-grade materials, such
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Dear Devotees, Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. During the Governing Body Commission’s (GBC) meeting on Monday, December 30th, the GBC formally accepted Giriraja Swami’s letter addressed to them, in which he announced that he would no longer be offering initiations. As stated in his letter, dated October 27, 2024: “It
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It was a pleasure hosting English singer, songwriter, musician and producer Mr. Chris Martin of Coldplay @coldplay and American actress Ms. Dakota Johnson @dakotajohnson, along with their friends, at ISKCON Chowpatty. Thank you for visiting us. We wish you the very best for your concerts in India, your world tour, and all your future endeavors.
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By Dandavats Staff Writer

Featured Video: H. H. Guru Prasad Swami on Srimad Bhagavatam 10.83.38 Festival of Loving Exchanges Prabhupada Book Marathon Scores 2024 - London Marathon Prize Distribution Ceremony - Melbourne Chant, Serve, and Discover Krishna's Eternal Abode Honoring the Visit of Mr. Chris Martin and Ms. Dakota Johnson at ISKCON Chowpatty H. G. Pancha Gauda Prabhu - Divine Dissent: Aniruddha vs. Uddhava's Strategy Srila Prabhupada's Vision for Global Devotion Asia's 2nd Largest ISKCON Temple Inaugurated by PM Modi Feelings of Separation: Path to Divine Love The Krishna Cow Sanctuary - Tongaat Ratna Bhusana: Feeding First Responders MARATHON 2024 Felicitation Program - ISKCON Juhu Govardhan Eco Village - Highlights (photos) Divine Reflections - Trusting in the Almighty's Guidance Continue reading "Festivals, Discourse Highlights, and Notable Visits at ISKCON on January 19
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Sri Gopal Bhatta Goswami, one of the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan, was a prominent Vaishnava saint and a direct disciple of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He is known for his humility, devotion, and scholarly contributions to the Gaudiya Vaishnavism tradition.

Gopal Bhatta Goswami was born in 1503 and is renowned for his role in preserving and propagating the teachings of Lord Chaitanya. He was known for his exceptional cooking, sweet singing of the Bhagavatam, and his strict adherence to devotional practices.

Despite his significant contributions, Gopal Bhatta Goswami remained humble and requested not to be prominently mentioned in the Chaitanya-charitamrita, showcasing his self-effacing nature. He played a crucial role in the establishment of the Bhakti cult in Vrindavan and left behind a rich legacy of spiritual literature.

Sri Gopala Bhatta Goswami contributed to Gaudiya Vaishnavism through his service and writings. He was responsible for writing treatises that exposed aberrant philosophies and practices adulterating the teachings of pure srngara-rasa, while also emphasizing the importance of vaidhi-bhakti. Additionally, he installed one of the seven principal Deities of Vrndavana, the Radharamana Deity, and was instrumental in the establishment of the Radharamana temple. His contributions are significant in the development and preservation of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

The deity of Radha Ramana appeared when the Damodara Shila manifested Himself as the beautiful Radha Ramana Deity. This manifestation occurred in 1542, and since then, Radha Ramana has been worshiped with pure devotion following precise sastric rituals. Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami played a significant role in the worship and installation of the Radha Ramana Deity. The deity is worshipped with great reverence and devotion in Vrndavana.

Gopal Bhatta Goswami’s life exemplifies the essence of devotion and surrender to the Supreme Lord. His dedication to spreading the message of love and devotion continues to inspire generations of spiritual seekers.

For Gopala Bhatta Gosvami’s appearance day, I thought to read a verse and purport about him from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, Chapter Ten, “The Branches of the Caitanya Tree”:

TEXT 105

sri gopala bhatta eka sakha sarvottama
rupa-sanatana-sange yanra prema-alapana

TRANSLATION

Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, the forty-seventh branch, was one of the great and exalted branches of the tree. He always engaged in discourses about love of Godhead in the company of Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami was the son of Venkata Bhatta, a resident of Sri Rangam. Gopala Bhatta formerly belonged to the disciplic succession of the Ramanuja-sampradaya but later became part of the Gaudiya-sampradaya. In the year 1433 Sakabda (A.D. 1511), when Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was touring South India, He stayed for four months during the period of Caturmasya at the house of Venkata Bhatta, who then got the opportunity to serve the Lord to his heart’s content. Gopala Bhatta also got the opportunity to serve the Lord at this time. Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami was later initiated by his uncle, the great sannyasi Prabodhananda Sarasvati. Both the father and the mother of Gopala Bhatta Gosvami were extremely fortunate, for they dedicated their entire lives to the serviceof Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. They allowed Gopala Bhatta Gosvami to go to Vrndavana, and they gave up their lives thinking of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When Lord Caitanya was later informed that Gopala Bhatta Gosvami had gone to Vrndavana and met Sri Rupa and Sanatana Gosvami, He was very pleased, and He advised Sri Rupa and Sanatana to accept Gopala Bhatta Gosvami as their younger brother and take care of him. Sri Sanatana Gosvami, out of his great affection for Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, compiled the Vaisnava smrti named Hari-bhakti-vilasa and published it under his name. Under the instruction of Srila Rupa and Sanatana, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami installed one of the seven principal Deities of Vrndavana, the Radharamana Deity. The sevaits (priests) of the Radharamana temple belong to the Gaudiya-sampradaya.

COMMENT

Actually, one of the families entrusted with the Deity service at the Radha-ramana Mandir has a history of relations with the line of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. Vishwambhar Goswami’s father or grandfather had relations with Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, the family maintained relations with Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and then Vishwambhar Goswami had very friendly relations with Srila Prabhupada. And he spoke very nicely about Srila Prabhupada. Now Vishwambhar Goswami’s son Padma Nabh Goswami is also very favorable to ISKCON. In fact, ISKCON devotees often honor prasada at his home at the Radha-ramana Mandir. When I took prasada there with His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami, Padma Nabh Goswami showed us a letter that Srila Prabhupada had written to his father, Vishwambhar Goswami, about how all Vaishnavas should cooperate. So, not only does the Radha-ramana temple belong to the Gaudiya-sampradaya, but at least some of the sevaits have had close relations with the line of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura.

PURPORT (concluded)

When Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami took permission from all the Vaisnavas before writing Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami also gave him his blessings, but he requested him not to mention his name in the book. Therefore Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami has mentioned Gopala Bhatta Gosvami only very cautiously in one or two passages of the Caitanya-caritamrta. Srila Jiva Gosvami has written in the beginning of his Tattva-sandarbha, “A devotee from southern India who was born of a brahmana family and was a very intimate friend of Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami has written a book that he has not compiled chronologically. Therefore I, a tiny living entity known as jiva, am trying to assort the events of the book chronologically, consulting the direction of great personalities like Madhvacarya, Sridhara Svami, Ramanujacarya,and other senior Vaisnavas in the disciplic succession.” In the beginning of the Bhagavat-sandarbha there are similar statements by Srila Jiva Gosvami. Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami compiled a book called Sat-kriya-sara-dipika, edited the Hari-bhakti-vilasa, wrote a foreword to the Sat-sandarbha and a commentary on the Krsna-karnamrta, and installed the Radharamana Deity in Vrndavana. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (184) it is mentioned that his previous name in the pastimes of Lord Krsna was Ananga-manjari. Sometimes he is also said to have been an incarnation of Guna-manjari. Srinivasa Acarya and Gopinatha Pujari were two of his disciples.

COMMENT

Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami ki jaya!

One story about Gopala Bhatta Gosvami is that on the eve of Nrsimha-caturdasi all the other Gosvamis and Vaishnavas in Vrindavan were preparing to worship their Deities and hold festivals. Gopala Bhatta Gosvami had only a salagrama-sila; he didn’t have a Deity with arms and legs and a body that he could dress and decorate. So he was feeling deprived of the opportunity to serve like the other devotees who had Deities they could serve in these ways. And out of Gopala Bhatta Gosvami’s strong desire, a salagrama-sila became manifest in the form of Radha-ramana. Radha-ramana is considered the most beautiful Deity of Krishna. He is the one original Deity of the Gosvamis that has remained in Vrindavan, while the others had to be taken elsewhere for fear of the Muslim invaders. And near the temple of Radha-ramana in Vrindavan is the samadhi of Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami.

Gopala Bhatta Gosvami’s uncle and siksa-guru was Prabodhananda Sarasvati. His samadhi is also located in Vrindavan, just off the parikrama path near Kaliya-ghata, quite near our Krishna-Balaram Mandir. So, often when we go on parikrama down the path near the Yamuna, we visit Prabodhananda Sarasvati’s samadhi and bhajana-kutira. And then we proceed to Srila Sanatana Gosvami’s samadhi. Srila Sanatana Gosvami was the most senior of the Gosvamis and was also a close associate and instructor of Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. In fact, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami worked with Sanatana Gosvami to produce the great treatise Hari-bhakti-vilasa.

I feel that Gopala Bhatta Gosvami has been especially merciful to me on two occasions. On one, I visited his bhajana-kutira at Sanketa, a place between Nandagrama and Varsana where Radha and Krishna used to meet and sometimes perform rasa-lila. Gopala Bhatta would sit and chant underground in a deep cavern accessible only through a long, narrow passage. At the end of the passage was a somewhat roomier place where Gopala Bhatta used to chant, now marked as his bhajana-sthala. I remember going there with Tamal Krishna Goswami and others on a very hot day and struggling to crawl through the passage to the bhajana-sthala. It was difficult, but when I finally reached there, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami was very merciful: he allowed me to chant with a glimpse of taste. And after all the devotees emerged from the cavern, I stole back in. I crawled back to Gopala Bhatta’s lotus feet, and I sat there chanting. I will never forget his mercy to me there, and I pray that he will enable me to chant with relish and love.

On the other occasion, during Kartik of 1999, shortly before my surgery, I visited Gopala Bhatta’s samadhi near the Radha-ramana Mandir. We arrived just after raja-bhoga-arati, and the pujari was closing the doors to the samadhi-mandira. But he was kind enough to open them for us and allow us darshan of Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. He gave us some flowers and caranamrta and invited us to stay for prasada. Thus our small party, along with some local sadhus, honored Gopala Bhatta Gosvami’s maha-maha-prasadam with great relish, and we even stayed to take a little rest before we continued on our way, filled with bliss. So, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami is very kind.

Years later, when some of my disciples from Bombay went to Vrindavan on pilgrimage, they visited the samadhi. They told the pujaris about me, how my health no longer allowed me to visit Vraja, and asked for some prasada for me. And one of the pujaris kindly gave them a piece of cloth from the samadhi. It is very special. Now, twice a year, once on Gopala Bhatta Gosvami’s appearance day and once on his disappearance day, we bring it out and touch it. So now we shall pass it around and touch it to our heads and to our hearts—and pray to Gopala Bhatta Gosvami for his sublime mercy.

Thank you.

Hare Krishna.

By Dandavats Staff Writer

Featured Video: European Centers, Villa Vrindavana, Soho Street temple, Gokula cafe, Becoming Free From The Flaw Of Envy, Cooking for the fire fighters in Los Angeles, The Illusion of Heavenly Planets, Puranic Time and the Archaeological Record, Bond of Love Interview Series: HG Sandamini dd, HH Devamrita Swami SB 8.20.24, Sri Locana Dasa Thakura – Disappearance, Sabhapati Dasa ACBSP has Passed Away, Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami’s Appearance Day, SB Class with HH Trikrama Swami, Sanskrit: the language of God Continue reading "Spiritual wisdom and ISKCON updates on January 18
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 Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 21, No. 2
By Krishna Kripa Das
(Week 2: January 8–14, 2025)

Tallahassee, Alachua
(Sent from Gainesville, Florida, on January 18, 2025)

Where I Went and What I Did

For the second week of 2025, I remained living at ISKCON Tallahassee and chanting three hours each day on Landis Green, behind the main Florida State University library. Only one day did another devotee chant with me. I distributed five books along with forty-four little cups of halava to promote our Krishna Lunch at the campus. I added five students to our mailing list. I was happy to go to Alachua for the Sunday feast and to stay through the morning program on Monday.

I share lots of quotes from the books, lectures, conversations, and letters of Srila Prabhupada, many I read in Bhakti Vikasa Swami’s soon-to-be-published book on the mood and mission of Srila Prabhupada. I also share notes on an ISKCON NYC class by Jayadvaita Swami, which I heard online. I share quotes from Vyasadeva, Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, and O. B. L. Kapoor (Adi-kesava Prabhu, disciple of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura). I share notes on articles in Back to Godhead magazine, Volume 59, Number 3, by Srila Prabhupada and Visakha Dasi. I share notes on classes at ISKCON of Alachua by Acyutananda and Ekadasi Vrata Prabhus.

Thanks to Ramiya Prabhu for letting me stay at his place in Alachua. Thanks to Ananga Mohan Prabhu for driving me from Tallahassee to Alachua and back.

Itinerary

January 6–April: Tallahassee harinama and FSU college outreach
– January 17–20: Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies, Evolution Conference
– January 24: Chanting Hare Krishna at UF Krishna Lunch and with Alachua devotees
– January 25: Gasparilla harinama and Ratha-yatra in Tampa
– January 26–29: Tampa harinama and USF college outreach
– March 9–16: Krishna House Gainesville harinama and UF college outreach

Chanting Hare Krishna in Tallahassee

A Christian girl I talked to the previous day came back the next day. This time she was not with the Christian guy who I had been talking to when she came before. She asked to hear about my whole spiritual journey, took another promotional halava, and bought The Higher Taste. When I told her religion is what distinguishes humans from animals, a common theme in Srila Prabhupada’s writing and speech, she completely agreed.

On Ekadasi afternoon as I chanted Hare Krishna on Florida State University’s Landis Green, I saw the waxing moon rising above a tree.

On Saturdays there are fewer students on the campuses, but they have more time to talk. I did not used to chant on the campuses on the weekends, but after trying it, I found I always have nice experiences. I talked to a student who was getting a PhD in biology. He was a Christian who was open to hearing about other beliefs. With the biologists, I often talk about how complicated the cell is, and how inconceivable it is that it could come about by random physical processes alone. The mechanism for complex development is natural selection, but that does not take place until you have reproduction, and how do you get reproduction? He appreciated the argument. He seemed philosophical so I recommended Beyond Illusion and Doubt, in which the views of fifteen Western philosophers are contrasted with Bhagavad-gita, and he gave $5 and took the book.

On Sunday, although it was only 45°F (7°C) out, with a wind chill of 41°F (5°C), four girls were eating lunch at a table 30 feet from where I was chanting Hare Krishna. I decided I should invite them to Krishna Lunch. I came up to them and said, “You seem to enjoy eating together!” to which they responded positively.
I said I was promoting Krishna Lunch, a vegan meal, all you can eat for $8. We have a promotion “bring a friend get one free” so you would only have to pay for two meals. Three took the promotional halava, all but the gluten intolerant one.
Because they seemed so happy together, I asked, “Did you know each other before?”
One answered, “Yes.”
“From the same high school?” I asked.
“Yes, and the same soccer team.”
Hopefully the four will soon enjoy eating Krishna Lunch and taking steps toward Krishna together. Please give them your blessings!

I generally have nice experiences every day chanting Hare Krishna on the campuses, both here at FSU in Tallahassee and at USF in Tampa.

Chanting Hare Krishna in Alachua

I came to ISKCON Alachua for the Sunday feast and the Monday morning program by the kindness of Ananga Mohan Prabhu, an initiated Indian FSU student with a car, who loves coming to Alachua on the weekends.

I was so busy dancing to Adikarta Prabhu’s kirtan during the first arati that I forgot to take a video of it, and I was too busy talking to the many friends I have from living there for eleven years that I missed the Gaura arati altogether. Fortunately I caught two hours of Hare Krishna chanting after that and took videos of the last two singers.

Here Tulasi Nadia chants Hare Krishna after the Sunday feast in Alachua (https://youtu.be/y8rThqqtKAU):

Here Jahnavi Jivana Dasi chants Hare Krishna after the Sunday feast in Alachua (https://youtu.be/7Ml1K2lNe1Q):

The next morning, Caitanya Dasi, who loves chanting at the Gainesville Krishna Lunch each week, chanted Hare Krishna and played ukulele after the Guru Puja arati was over in Alachua (https://youtube.com/shorts/kLwgDalHwA4):

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.9.29, purport:

“Any person authorized by either the Lord or His bona fide representative is already blessed, as is the work entrusted to him. Of course, the person entrusted with such a responsibility should always be aware of his incapability and must always look for the mercy of the Lord for the successful execution of his duty. One should not be puffed up because he is entrusted with certain executive work. Fortunate is he who is so entrusted, and if he is always fixed in the sense of being subordinate to the will of the Supreme, he is sure to come out successful in the discharge of his work. Arjuna was entrusted with the work of fighting on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra, and before he was so entrusted, the Lord had already arranged for his victory. But Arjuna was always conscious of his position as subordinate to the Lord, and thus he accepted Him as the supreme guide in his responsibility. Anyone who takes pride in doing responsible work but does not give credit to the Supreme Lord is certainly falsely proud and cannot execute anything nicely.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.24.50, purport:

“Although the impersonalists are always engaged in the worship of Lord Shiva, they are unable to understand the prayers offered by Lord Shiva to the bodily features of Lord Vishnu.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.24.51, purport:

“Here Lord Shiva kindly describes the details of the Lord’s bodily features. Thus the impersonalists’ argument that the Lord has no form cannot be accepted under any circumstance.”

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 8.31, purport:

“Considering the position of the people of this age, however, the chanting of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s name is more essential than the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra because Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the most magnanimous incarnation and His mercy is very easily achieved. Therefore one must first take shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by chanting sri-krishna-caitanya prabhu nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda.”

From a class on Bhagavad-gita 16.2–7 in Bombay on April 8, 1971:

“Why these American boys are coming to us? Because they did not get the advantage of spiritual life, but they are seeking after spiritual life. Athato brahma jijñasa.

They are fed up with this materialistic way of life. They want something spiritual. But because there is no such information, there is no such leader, they are becoming hippies—frustrated, confused. And because here is something substantial, they are taking it. This is the secret of success of this Krishna consciousness movement.”

From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.16 in Bombay on November 16, 1974:

“We give chance to the people to hear about Krishna. . . . Therefore we have specifically mentioned: Krishna consciousness. We don’t talk any other nonsense things. . . . We have no other business. Simply we talk of Krishna. That will purify. Srnvatam sva-kathah krishnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. . . . Even if you do not understand a single word, if you simply hear, then you become pious. It is so nice.”

From a Vyasa-puja lecture in London on August 22, 1973:

“Therefore, a so-called philosopher, scientist’s knowledge is always imperfect. The perfect knowledge can be received through this parampara system—from Krishna, Krishna to Brahma, Brahma to Narada, Narada to Vyasa, Vyasa to Madhvacarya. In this way, from Caitanya Mahaprabhu, six Gosvamis, then our Guru Maharaja, in this way. And our business is just to present whatever we have heard. This is very important point.

And because we do not speculate mentally, just like so many swamis comes from India, they make their own presentation by speculation. So whatever little success I have got, it is due to this process, that I do not present anything which is created by me. That is the secret of success. All these rascals, I say, declaring this. All these rascals come, they manufacture. A spiritual thing cannot be manufactured—as God cannot be manufactured. God is always God, and the words of God is also God. If we present as it is, then it will be effective.”

From “They Have Created an Animal Civilization” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 59, No. 3:

[This is an edited transcript of a morning walk in Johannesburg on October 18, 1975.]

“We have little anxieties, simply because we have to deal with this rascal world. Otherwise, we have no anxiety. But we have taken this mission, to go and approach people and tell them the truth. Therefore we have got a little anxiety. Otherwise there is no question of anxiety. Because we are mixing with these rascals – and we have to do that, we who have taken up this mission – therefore we have some little anxiety. That is also not very much.”

From a morning walk in Paris on June 11, 1974:

“Unless you think yourself helpless, you cannot surrender. Surrender is complete when you think yourself helpless. ‘I am helpless, but because I am surrendered to Krishna, He’ll save me.’ This faith also must be there, that ‘Although I am helpless’ – Not although I am factually helpless, but ‘because I am surrendered to Krishna, I have no danger. He’ll help me, protect me.’”

From a letter to Tulsi on December 18, 1975:

“My only credit is that I have presented Bhagavad-gita as it is, without any speculation, or interpretation, therefore for the first time in the history of the world people are accepting it and living practically according to the principles of Bhagavad-gita.”

From an initiation lecture in Bombay on March 17, 1972:

“This Krishna consciousness movement is especially meant for preaching Bhagavad-gita as it is.”

From “Success at the Time of Death” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 59, No. 3:

[This is an edited transcript of a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.13 in Vrindavan on September 15, 1975.]

“And [another offense against the holy name is] sruti-sastra-nindanam, to disobey the injunctions of the Vedic literature. One may think, ‘Oh, there are so many rules; it is not possible to follow them.’”

“If at the time of death one chants Hare Krishna, then you know certainly that he has gone to Vaikuntha. There is no doubt about it. And even if there is aparadha, offense, that is not taken into consideration, because he has uttered Hare Krishna at the time of death. This is a special consideration. Anta-kale: at the time of death.”

“Why should we stress only upon seeing Krishna? That is a most foolish proposal. You have other senses. Krishna is prepared to be perceived by you by other senses. How? If you hear Krishna’s name, then you must know there is Krishna. Krishna is not different from His name or His form or quality or paraphernalia – anything. He is absolute. There is no duality in Him. Anything you perceive is Krishna. This Krishna temple is also Krishna. But we have no sufficient knowledge about how to understand Krishna. Krishna is prepared to be understood by us in so many ways.”

“The only qualification is that we must be very sincere. If even by symbolic chanting or by joking one can get the benefit, why not do it carefully? What is the wrong there? Be serious and chant Hare Krishna very carefully in order to get the success of life at the time of death.”

From a letter to Upendra on November 26, 1968:

“The leader in charge of a temple must learn to successfully deal with the other persons there. No one is working as a paid servant so if the dealings are not friendly everyone will decide to leave.”

From a letter to Karandhara on December 22, 1972:

“The future of this Krishna consciousness movement is very bright, as long as the managers remain vigilant that sixteen rounds are being chanted by everyone without fail, that they are all rising before four in the morning and attending mangala-arati. Our leaders shall be careful not to kill the spirit of enthusiastic service, which is individual and spontaneous and voluntary. They should try always to generate some atmosphere of fresh challenge to the devotees, so that they will agree enthusiastically to rise and meet it. That is the art of management: to draw out a spontaneous loving spirit of sacrificing some energy for Krishna. But where are so many expert managers? All of us should become expert managers and preachers. We should not be very much after comforts and become complacent or self-contented. There must be always some tapasya, strictly observing the regulative principles. The Krishna consciousness movement must be always a challenge, a great achievement to be gained by voluntary desire to do it, and that will keep it healthy.”

From a letter to Satsvarupa on September 9, 1975:

“I want that all centers follow the following procedure for handling the money. Whatever income is there, every cent must be given to the treasurer. Immediately he records it in the book. Then daily he deposits everything in the bank. For the expenditures, he withdraws from the bank the petty cash by check, signed by himself and the president. Then the expenditures are checked by the president to see how the money is being spent. The important thing is that all monies must be given to the treasurer and he records it and every day deposits everything in the bank. And whatever is spent that also is withdrawn from the bank. This will stop the embezzling that is going on. Please arrange for this and inform me.”

From a morning walk at Marina del Ray near Los Angeles on July 13, 1974:

Prabhupada: Politics, diplomacy, fraud, cheating. These things are the general qualification of the Western people. Do you admit or not?Devotees: Yes.Prabhupada: If . . . these things come within our movement, then it will not be successful.

From a letter to Brahmananda on November 11, 1967:

“If a sincere soul goes out and opens a center in any part of the world, Krishna will help him in all respects. Without being empowered by Krishna, nobody can preach Krishna consciousness. It is not academic qualification or financial strength which helps in the matter, but it is sincerity of purpose which helps us always. . . . I was prepared to chant even if there were no men present to hear me. The principle of chanting is to glorify the Lord and not to attract a crowd. If Krishna hears nicely then he will ask some sincere devotee to gather in such place. Therefore be advised that thousands of centers may be started if we find out a sincere soul for each and every center.”

From a letter to Himavati on June 15, 1972:

“I don’t know who has given you this idea of shaving your head and wearing white garments. In India only the widows are allowed to shave head. I have never suggested your husband to take to sannyasa, but we can discuss this matter further when we shall meet again in London for Ratha Yatra. You remain the beautiful maid servant of Krishna. That is your business, and you should dress yourself always very nicely so that Krishna by seeing you will be pleased.”

From a letter to Damodara on March 30, 1970:

“My idea is to train up many devotees and as soon as they are ready send them for starting new branches.”

From a letter to Giriraj on June 8, 1972:

“If we make our deity worship program extremely opulent and gorgeous, and if all of the devotees are always attending arati and holding kirtana in front of the deities, that will be the best program for attracting the Indian people to the Krishna consciousness movement.”

From a letter to Bhavananda on March 17, 1971:

“I wish that the number of devotees in every temple be more and more increased. . . . Make all our temples full with many devotees, and after being trained they should be sent to every town and village in your country so that they will be benefited as well as all others.”

From a letter to Gaura Hari on July 9, 1971:

“New men may not always behave so nicely but we must be tolerant. To train a new man is like training a wild animal to be a pet.”

From a letter to Sukadeva on December 13, 1972:

“The secret will be to engage them as they like to be engaged. Suppose I have got some education, I am a business student, or I have got some skill or talent, I am a typist or musician or something like that; so I will like to utilize these things for Krishna only if I am encouraged in a certain way, very tactfully, and I must not be discouraged by too much forcing me to accept everything at first: shaving the head, rising very early, going for street sankirtana, like that. No, let me come gradually; let me also study Krishna consciousness and see how it is practical and sublime. Gradually I may get some taste for these other things and agree to do them voluntarily and intelligently. We are not dogmatic or like an army-camp, no. We are servants of Krishna. That means because we understand that Krishna is our protector under all circumstances, we have no more any anxiety, so we become very liberal and tolerant upon seeing others’ sinful activities, and we see them innocent victims of maya, and we try to help them understand the real position of life.”

Srila Vyasadeva:

From Skanda Purana:

“By a scrutinizing review of all the revealed scriptures and a judgment of them again and again, it is now concluded that Lord Narayana is the Supreme Absolute Truth and thus He alone should be worshiped.”

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura:

From his commentary on Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.16.31:

“One invokes the Lord by the Rg Veda, performs sacrifice by the Yajur Veda, and praises the Lord by the Sama Veda.”

O. B. L. Kapoor (Adi-kesava dasa), disciple of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:

From The Saints of Bengal:

“While Krishna is more interested in the dispensation of justice, Gaura is more interested in the dispensation of mercy. From this point of view, Gaura-kirtana is also more useful than Krishna-kirtana.”

Jayadvaita Swami:

When the glories of the Lord are chanted loudly, the demons flee just like cockroaches when you turn on the light. They like the dark.

It is good to do book distribution during harinama because the chanting preselects people. You can see who is favorable and approach them.

Why settle for their money? Why not their life? We have our words, our intelligence, our wealth, and our life to give to Krishna. Sometimes we just get people to donate their wealth, but it is actually better if they give their life.

If we preach, money will follow. If we just pursue money, sometimes everything falls apart.

When the devotees got an elevator at the Juhu project, Srila Prabhupada insisted that the devotees not use it to go down or to go up just one or two flights because it is a waste of money.

Acyutananda Prabhu:

I selected for the Vaishnava song book the most commonly sung songs in Vrindavan and Navadvipa.

I like how Lord Nityananda’s feet are described as millions of cooling moons.

Hare Krishna is not like anything else, but we have never stopped.

In Vrindavan in the beginning [the late 1960s] there were no cars and no radios, only temple bells.

The songs are not replacements for the maha-mantra but expansions of the maha-mantra.

I brought a Bengali mrdanga player who could make the mrdanga talk. Srila Prabhupada smiled more and more upon hearing him play.

Something simple done well is better than something complicated not done well.

In India there was 15 minutes of news in Sanskrit on the radio.

In South India you have to quote Sanskrit, otherwise they do not take you seriously.

Navadvipa was like Satya-yuga, and in South India some of the temples were like Satya-yuga.

We heard some people chanting “Siksastaka” in South India. We learned that some followers of Lord Caitanya went there and stayed.

I built the Prabhupada kutira in Mayapur. Srila Prabhupada told me how much sand and how much cement.

I traveled with Srila Prabhupada alone in India for three months in 1967 until he recovered his health. Srila Prabhupada would carry a book of Baladeva Vidyabhusana.

Dharma is the natural function of anything.

Prema bhakti is our natural function.

The Vedas are arranged so that if you follow them you will quickly become elevated.

Narada told Vyasa, “You have described so many things but not pure bhakti.”

The first verse I heard from Srila Prabhupada was sarvopadi vinirmuktam.

So many religions tell you how to get saved, but now that you are saved, what do you do? That is Krishna bhakti.

There are thousands of nigamas and thousands of agamas.

Vyasa writes in the Padma Purana, caitanya rasa vigraha. And then 4,500 years later, Caitanya appeared. You can’t make this stuff up.

One envious godbrother of Srila Prabhupada’s said, “If Lord Caitanya wanted His name spread all over the world, then why did He not do it Himself?”
Srila Prabhupada replied, “Because He saved it for me.”

Once I noticed that the pujari put the flute in backward. I told Srila Prabhupada. He said that Krishna is all powerful. He can even play it from the other side.

Visakha Dasi:

From “Lower Than Straw” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 59, No. 3 (May/June 2025):

“Unlike those who are higher and are afraid of falling, the person on the ground is unafraid. When we’re at the lowest point, we’re finally on a solid platform for spiritual progress.”

“Since Krishna’s devotees have no wish except to serve Him with devotion, they don’t hanker for what they lack or lament for what they’ve lost. Rather, they’re absorbed in their sacred service.”

“Krishna’s devotees pray to Him to keep them from getting proud. They don’t want to lose the satisfaction and happiness they feel in chanting Krishna’s names and serving Him, for nothing is more valuable or important than these opportunities and privileges.”

“Srila Prabhupada replied, ‘Humility means that you are convinced beyond any doubt that there is nothing in this world, absolutely nothing in this world – not your money, not your family, not your fame, not your gun, not your education –nothing will save you except the mercy of Krishna. When you are convinced like this, then you are humble.’”

Ekadasi Vrata Devi Dasi:

Anthropomorphic is used to describe Biblical references to God as having human attributes, for example, “the outstretched arms of God” protect Israel from the Egyptians.

Prayer helps a lot when we encounter things that are difficult to accept in the scripture.

Bhakti Vijnana Swami was saying that Gayatri is the source of the Vedas.

Comment by Prana Govinda Prabhu:

The four kinds of miscreants [Bhagavad-gita 7.15] are also in me. Also we see people come to this movement and then leave because of these four tendencies.

Comments by me:

Regarding the Lord being seen when the heart is pure, that is mentioned in the Bible: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)

One example of mayayapahrita-jñana that came to mind I learned from Sadaputa Prabhu. In the 1960s some mathematicians presented to some biologists that according to their calculations of the probabilities, evolution could not have occurred. The biologists replied saying that we know evolution occurred; and therefore, the mathematicians must have made some mistake in their calculations. After that the mathematicians understood the sort of people they were dealing with and did not again approach the biologists.

I believe I have heard something like 80% of the Vedas are karma-kanda. Thus it is not surprising that their followers are just interested in going to heaven and not knowing and attaining God and His kingdom.

The idea that Gayatri is the source of the Vedas in mentioned in Brahma-samhita 5.27:

“Then Gayatri, mother of the Vedas, having been manifested by the divine sound of Sri Krishna’s flute, entered the lotus mouth of Brahma.”

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It is important to keep progressing in our spiritual life up to the stage of devotional service to the Supreme Lord. That point is made in this powerful verse spoken by Devahuti, the mother of the divine incarnation, Lord Kapila:

neha yat karma dharmaya

na viragaya kalpate
na tirtha-pada-sevayai
jivann api mrito hi sah

“Anyone whose work is not meant to elevate him to religious life, anyone whose religious ritualistic performances do not raise him to renunciation, and anyone situated in renunciation that does not lead him to devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, must be considered dead, although he is breathing.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.23.56)

By Dandavats Staff Writer

HH Indradyumna Swami discusses Krishna’s glances, highlighting their enchanting nature. HG Deena Bandhu Prabhu takes us through Peru’s Ollantaytambo and its Inca ruins. HH Bhaktimarga Swami shares insights on overcoming obstacles through Krishna’s guidance. ISKCON events include a Wellbeing Retreat at Bhaktivedanta Manor, Padayatra at Kumbh Mela, and Sati’s story on pride and forgiveness. Food for Life in Hungary continues its outreach, while children visit Krishna-liike ISKCON Helsinki Continue reading "Spiritual insights and ISKCON related news for Jan. 17
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His Holiness Gopal Krishna Goswami departed this world to join his beloved spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, on May 4, 2024. ISKCON has lost a great warrior servant and ‘Prabhupada Man’, but he has left behind a legacy of devotion to the mission of His Divine Grace and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Thus, we have dubbed him the ‘Jewel of Devotion’ (Bhakti Ratna).

This seva campaign is an opportunity for all ISKCON devotees, whether Maharaja’s disciple or not, to honor one of Srila Prabhupada’s eminent disciples and give to the TOVP at the same time. As one of the most supportive ISKCON leaders to actively assist the project, he constantly spoke about and personally fundraised for ongoing construction. He also attended all the major TOVP milestone events and encouraged all devotees to finish the temple for Srila Prabhupada.

“I would request you to consider if you can construct a temple at the birthplace of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.”

Srila Prabhupada to H.H. Gopal Krishna Goswami, 1969

Devotees can sponsor one of three Bhakti Ratna Medallions (Bronze, Silver or Gold). They will be shipped worldwide to sponsors.

Help finish the TOVP by sponsoring a Bhakti Ratna Medallion today in honor of the project’s great supporter and dedicated servant of Srila Prabhupada

  Note: Medallions will be available to ship to donors at the end of February.

 

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 Ramachandra Kaviraja, the son of Shri Chiranjiva Sena (eternal associate of Lord Chaitanya), appeared in Shri Khanda. “Ramachandara Kaviraja was especially earnest, beautiful, intelligent, energetic, and enthusiastic,” said one biographer.

Although married, Ramachandra and his wife, Ratanala, had no material attachments. They stayed fully engaged in the loving service of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. They had no children. With steadfast devotion he served his spiritual master, Shrinivasa Acharya. In Vrindavana, Shri Jiva Goswami gave him the title, kaviraja, “king of poets.”

Ramachandra Kaviraja was one of the eight kavirajas, famous poet disciples of Shrinivasa Acharya. Ramachandra wrote Smarana Darpana, Smarana Chamatkara, Siddhanta Chandrika. He preached widely and initiated many disciples. Narottama Dasa Thakura and Ramachandra lived together as best friends.

Narottama Dasa wrote, doya kore shri acharya prabhu shrinivasa; ramachandra sanga mage Narottama Dasa, “0 Shrinivasa Acharya Prabhu, please give me your mercy. Narottama Dasa always prays for the association of Ramachandra Kaviraja.”

In the form of Karna manjari, he serves Shrimati Radharani in Vraja lila. His samadhi is in Dhira Samira Kunja next to Shrinivasa Acharya. 

By Dandavats Staff Writer

Mukunda Goswami discusses Bhagavatam 3.21.5 on creation, karma, and devotion. ISKCON Navi Mumbai temple was inaugurated by PM Modi, praising ISKCON’s work. Achyutananda and Kalakanta discuss Vaishnava songs. Paraguay’s ISKCON temple hosted India’s ambassador. Sundar Caitanya Swami explores Lord Vishnu’s beauty. Amogha Lila Prabhu wins ZEE Hero Award and plans media collaborations Continue reading "Highlights of ISKCON News for Jan. 16
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View this post on Instagram A post shared by ISKCON News (@iskcon.news) Here is the text transcription: Hare Krishna, this is Anuttama Dasa reporting for ISKCON News. Today is Wednesday the 15th of January. I’m here at the Kharghar ISKCON temple, Radha Madan Mohan Mandir. You can see the beautiful temple behind me. Today, there’s
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By Dandavats Staff Writer

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the Sri Sri Radha Madanmohanji Temple. ISKCON Dwarka serves millions at Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 - Times of India. "Star of Eger" - Govinda Restaurant Shines Bright! (Hungary). I attended this temple opening not knowing what to expect! The Journey Behind the Making of Mahavatar Narasimha. ISKCON's presence in Kumbha Mela 2025. Maha Kumbh Mela 2025: Global Media Coverage Devotee. Family Displaced by LA Wildfires. Continue reading "Global ISKCON News for Jan. 15
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The video titled “When Good Fortune Arises” by Svayam Bhagavan Keshava Maharaja features a spiritually enriching discussion emphasizing service, devotion, and spreading love through Krishna Consciousness. Speaking in Cambridge, UK, Maharaja reflects on his experiences and the progress of the movement over the past 20 years. Key points include: The Power of Devotion: Every devotee,
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The video shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the Sri Sri Radha Madanmohanji Temple, an ISKCON temple located in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai. The temple took 12 years to build, with a cost exceeding ₹170 crore. Constructed under the “Glory of Maharashtra” project, the temple features exquisite architecture made from white and brown marble. Dashaavatar Temple:
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ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) is making a significant impact at the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 in Prayagraj, India, which runs from January 13 to February 26, 2025. With an expected attendance of around 400 million pilgrims, ISKCON’s initiatives aim to provide both spiritual nourishment and essential services to attendees. Key Initiatives by ISKCON
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Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, commenced on January 13 and will continue until February 26, 2025, in Prayagraj, India. This iteration of the festival is particularly significant, occurring once every 12 years, and is expected to attract around 400 million visitors due to a rare celestial alignment
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By Dandavats Staff Writer

Spiritual reflections, festivals, congregational preaching, ISKCON youth programs, inspiring kirtans, and global initiatives. Highlights include a new 3D film on Lord Nrsimhadeva, Travis Scott receiving Srimad Bhagavatam, and the grand inauguration of Navi Mumbai’s Radha Madanmohanji Temple. It bridges tradition and modern outreach. Continue reading "Articles on Dandavats.com (January 14, 2025)
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Prabhuji’s Talk Summary

Prabhuji also highlighted from the seventh chapter that although different kinds of people approach Krishna, and even though Nali (the best devotee) is the most exalted, Krishna appreciates everyone who seeks him.

Then, Prabhuji discussed the difference between devotional service and pure devotional service. Devotional service is when we go to Krishna for our own interests. However, pure devotional service is when we go to Krishna even when we have other options; at this point, Krishna becomes our primary interest.

He also spoke about the three main elements in devotional service: Jiva (the soul), the Lord, and the world. In pure devotional service, Krishna becomes a greater reality than the world. As we grow in devotion, we begin to realize that Krishna is our anchor and the most important person in our lives.

Prabhuji also mentioned that in the beginning, Krishna is the means, and the world is the end. But as we progress, the world becomes the means, and Krishna becomes the ultimate goal. Therefore, everything else in life is seen as a means to serve Krishna.

To summarize the three key aspects of pure devotional service:

1. The relationship with Krishna is not transactional but transformational.
2. Krishna becomes a greater reality than the world.
3. The world becomes the means, and Krishna becomes the end goal.

Next, Prabhuji discussed the difference between “inspired” and “aspired” devotional service, which he would elaborate on further.

He then introduced the six characteristics of pure devotional service. The first two characteristics are related to the effects on the devotee. The second pair refers to the nature of the devotees themselves, and the final one refers to the relationship between the soul and God.

Finally, Prabhuji emphasized that the relationship with Krishna has intrinsic characteristics, which he would further elaborate on in the upcoming discussion.

He concluded by thanking everyone for their attention and encouraged the audience to continue reflecting on these aspects of devotional service.

How Can We Better Manage Our Mind?

To manage our minds effectively, we must first understand the interests of our audience. Once we identify the interests of the audience, we then find the corresponding sections of scripture that address those interests. In other words, the speaker must be aware of both the scripture and the audience to communicate effectively.

Speaking with realization makes the message more relevant, relatable, and applicable. Let’s apply this idea to the six characteristics of devotional service.

In this context, the audience’s interest represents the timely aspect, while the scriptural message itself represents the timeless aspect. Shri Rupa Goswami wrote the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu (Nectar of Devotion), where he outlines the six characteristics of bhakti. However, we must remember that the interests of the audience may vary depending on the circumstances of the time.

For example, Rupa Goswami wrote his book in the 16th century, and it was originally intended for an audience familiar with Vedic wisdom in Vrindavan. The scripture covers many topics—karma, jnana, tantra, yoga, and more—but Rupa Goswami focused on bhakti. He explained these principles with scriptural references, such as how bhakti is auspicious (sukhata) and how it removes distress (klesha).

However, in today’s context, while scriptural references are still important, we also need to understand what these characteristics mean for us personally. If bhakti is supposed to bring auspiciousness and remove distress, we may wonder: does practicing bhakti mean all our distress will disappear? And if it doesn’t, does that mean bhakti isn’t working or that we are not practicing it properly?

The difference here is that, while scriptural references remain important, it is crucial for us to relate these teachings to our own lives and see how these characteristics manifest.

Shri Prabhupada, in his writings, didn’t always provide a plethora of scriptural references. Instead, he focused on what was most relevant and relatable for the audience. This is why in his summaries, Prabhupada would often simplify the message and make it accessible, rather than citing an overwhelming number of references. This approach made the teachings more understandable and persuasive, especially for modern audiences.

For instance, if a speaker addresses a scientific audience and discusses the benefits of meditation for mental and physical health, citing research published in well-known journals like Science or Nature would be persuasive. Similarly, when discussing devotional service, it’s essential to relate the concepts to the audience’s personal experience.

Now, let’s focus on the first two characteristics of devotional service: it removes distress and brings auspiciousness. These two qualities are often described in Sanskrit as something that “announces” or “heralds” auspiciousness. Bhakti is not a digital, one-or-zero experience. It’s not an all-or-nothing scenario. Devotional service is more like a relationship that gradually develops over time. It’s like an analog scale—our relationship with Krishna deepens incrementally.

When we talk about pure devotional service, it’s not just an unattainable ideal. There’s a spectrum, and people can be on various stages of this spectrum. Some may practice devotional service more purely, while others may practice it less so. It’s not a rigid distinction; it’s more about the depth of the relationship.

Think of devotional service like a medical treatment. When someone undergoes treatment, they experience two things: the pain decreases, and the health improves. Initially, the pain might decrease without significantly improving health, especially if only symptomatic treatment is given. But if the treatment is thorough and effective, the underlying problem is healed, and health improves over time.

In devotional service, we may not experience immediate relief from all distress, but as we practice bhakti more consistently and deeply, the benefits will start to manifest. These benefits will not necessarily be immediate or fully realized at once, but with sustained practice, we will see gradual improvement.

Similarly, as someone receives treatment for an illness, they may begin by feeling better and experiencing less pain, but full recovery takes time. The same applies to devotional service: gradual growth and progress lead to greater auspiciousness in life, even if the journey starts slowly.

So, devotional service can manifest partially even for those who are still on the path, and the benefits gradually increase as one moves toward more sincere and pure devotion. This understanding helps us appreciate the incremental progress in our devotional practice, rather than expecting an immediate or complete transformation.

In summary, devotional service is not just about reaching an ideal state of purity instantly. It’s a continuous journey where distress is gradually alleviated, and auspiciousness is cultivated over time.

After that, I asked the doctor about the diagnosis. The technician got the report, and I carried it with me. I noticed that there was no clear diagnosis, and they mentioned it wasn’t important. However, I saw that the report had PUO written on it. At that time, I had no idea what PUO meant, so I asked the doctor, “What is this PUO?” He explained that it stands for “Pyrexia of Unknown Origin.” “Pyrexia” means fever, and when the cause of the fever is unknown, it is classified as PUO.

It’s somewhat embarrassing for doctors to admit that they don’t have a diagnosis, so they use the term PUO. In this case, the patient is undiagnosed, and without a diagnosis, they can’t be treated. On the other hand, another patient who is diagnosed can begin treatment.

Though both patients may experience pain in the present, their futures will be very different. The undiagnosed patient’s condition may worsen over time, while the diagnosed patient’s condition will improve with treatment.

Similarly, when we start practicing Bhakti, we may still be in the material world, facing challenges like anyone else. If the temperature rises, or if there is economic or political instability, we too feel the heat and stress. But by practicing Bhakti, we begin the process of diagnosis and treatment for our deeper suffering.

Just as medical treatment gradually reduces pain and improves health, Bhakti practice leads to a gradual decrease in distress (Klesh-agni) and an increase in spiritual well-being (Sukhad-agni). So, practicing Bhakti doesn’t immediately eliminate all the pain, but it starts the process of healing.

Now, with this understanding, we can see Bhakti as a medicine for material existence. By practicing Bhakti, we experience a gradual decrease in distress and an increase in spiritual auspiciousness, much like a patient being treated with the right medication.

In conclusion, Bhakti provides us with the tools to deal with suffering. Although practicing Bhakti doesn’t eliminate all the worldly difficulties we face, it offers a diagnosis for the root causes of our distress and provides a treatment path to spiritual healing.

It’s almost ironic or strange that the message, “this world is a place of distress,” actually decreases Arjuna’s distress. Arjuna is in distress, and when Krishna speaks, his words help alleviate that distress. So, Krishna’s purpose is not to emphasize that the world is filled with suffering, but rather to guide Arjuna out of that distress.

Jeeva Goswami, in the Sandarbhas, explains that to understand the core message of a book, we should examine what is said at the beginning and the end. For example, if a speaker is organized, they might introduce the topic at the beginning and summarize it at the end. By listening to the start and the conclusion, we can grasp the essence of the message. In the same way, if we look at what Krishna speaks at the beginning and the end of the Bhagavad Gita, we can understand its core purpose.

The first instructive word Krishna speaks is in 2.11: “A-shocchan.” This means “not worth lamenting,” or “do not lament.” The last instructive word Krishna speaks is in 18.66: “Maa shujahav,” meaning “do not fear, do not lament.” Essentially, the purpose of the Gita is to free people from distress, and it begins with the message that suffering is not worth lamenting and ends with the assurance to not fear or be distressed. The Gita’s message is not pessimistic; rather, it is positive and affirmative—it is meant to uplift us from distress, not keep us in it.

Now, let’s look at the context of the Gita to understand why it is not a message of pessimism. The Gita begins with distress but ends with guidance that leads to liberation from that distress. It is giving hope and a path to overcome suffering, not merely describing the world as a place of suffering.

When we talk about distress, there are some forms of distress that are avoidable and some that are unavoidable. For example, in 2014, I visited Washington, D.C., for the first time. It was winter, and I went out for chanting early in the morning. I thought it was 11°C, but it turned out to be -11°C. I couldn’t even move my fingers, and my lips turned purple. I rushed back, put on warmer clothes, and went out again. The cold weather caused distress, but it was unavoidable given the freezing temperature. However, there are ways to mitigate such distress, like wearing warm clothes. Even then, some discomfort may remain, but we can reduce its impact.

Distress can be categorized as either avoidable or unavoidable. The unavoidable distress is like the cold weather, where external conditions affect us. However, there are ways to manage it, just as we can mitigate physical distress with warm clothes. Similarly, there are mental and spiritual strategies to manage distress in life.

When Krishna speaks about this world being “Dukkhalayam” (a place of distress), it doesn’t mean we should resign ourselves to a life of suffering. Krishna’s message is to acknowledge the reality of distress but also to show that it doesn’t need to be overwhelming or all-consuming. He encourages us to rise above it through spiritual practice.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna’s lamentation in the beginning is not about his own death; he is not afraid of dying. Rather, his fear stems from a moral dilemma—he does not want to harm his loved ones or act against dharma. This fear of causing harm is what leads to his distress, not a fear of his own death.

So, when Krishna tells Arjuna that the world is a place of distress, it’s not a call to accept distress passively. It’s a reality check that, despite the inherent challenges of life, there is a way to transcend that distress through understanding and spiritual practice.

Arjuna is unsure whether winning the kingdom is worth killing his relatives, worth shooting his teachers like Dronacharya and Bhishma. His fear is not about his own death, but about the moral dilemma of whether this is the right thing to do. Sometimes, the level of fear a person experiences reflects their level of consciousness.

I recently had a conversation with someone who was seriously ill, a well-respected preacher. Despite his own grave condition, which had low chances of recovery, his main concern wasn’t for his health but for the future of others. He said, “Many people are supporting me financially for my treatment, but what about devotees who are not as well-known as me? If they fall ill, who will offer them support? We need to create a system to help them.”

It struck me that, even in such a challenging time, his concern was not for himself, but for the well-being of others. This shows how a person’s fear or concern can reflect their consciousness. For example, if a company is facing bankruptcy, the owners may worry about how they will pay for their mansions or deal with their personal debts. But in other cases, a company might worry about its employees, clients, and business partners. In the second situation, the fear is more selfless than the first, where the concern is centered around personal loss.

Arjuna’s fear is also selfless. He fears that by doing the wrong thing, even if he gains the kingdom, it could lead to the destruction of future generations of his dynasty. This moral hesitation causes Arjuna’s anxiety and indecision.

Now, when Arjuna surrenders to Krishna, does his distress magically disappear? No, Arjuna still has to fight. His inner conflict doesn’t just vanish after he surrenders. Krishna doesn’t solve the problem by revealing some past life scenario, like explaining that Bhishma and Arjuna had interactions in past lives. Krishna doesn’t teach that way. Instead, Krishna focuses on the present situation and guides Arjuna on what he should do right now. He doesn’t promise a mystical solution but teaches how to deal with the challenge in front of him.

Arjuna practices bhakti and surrenders to Krishna, saying, “I will do what you say.” But Krishna doesn’t remove all the external troubles. Some things, like the threat from Duryodhana, are unavoidable. Duryodhana is not going to stop fighting, so Arjuna must face the challenges ahead.

In life, we often face unavoidable troubles. For example, if someone is seriously sick, even with the best doctors and treatments, it doesn’t mean the disease will magically disappear. The person will still experience some pain and suffering, though the treatment may alleviate some of it. Similarly, Krishna’s teachings in the Bhagavad Gita focus on how to navigate these unavoidable challenges, helping us to manage distress with wisdom, devotion, and perseverance.

So, basically, there is both avoidable and unavoidable suffering. What is avoidable, we should avoid. It’s not that if it’s cold and the world is Dukkha Leham (a place of suffering), we deliberately go into the cold without wearing warm clothes. That is not necessary. What is avoidable should be avoided.

For example, the Shastras say that if we indulge in our senses too much, like drinking excessively, and then become sick, is that because the world is Dukkha Leham? No, it is because we are engaging in activities that are bringing suffering upon ourselves. So, avoidable suffering should be avoided, and that requires conscious effort.

At the same time, there is unavoidable suffering, and that should be accepted. Accepting means it has to be tolerated and eventually transcended. How to tolerate and transcend it will be discussed in the evening session.

For example, if someone has a disease and is in pain, they may take pain medication, which alleviates the pain. Is this a good thing? Yes, because it helps reduce the suffering. However, if they only take the pain medication and do not address the root cause of the illness, they might not improve. They are only masking the problem, and in the long run, it could worsen.

So, some amount of pain is unavoidable, and we need to accept it. There is some distress that is unavoidable, and it is often linked to karma, which we will talk more about in the evening session. As Krishna said this morning, Gokhar, when we try to avoid unavoidable suffering, we might end up creating even more suffering in the process.

This principle is not just about diseases. The same idea applies in other areas of life. Avoiding unavoidable suffering might lead to even greater distress. However, the point we are making here is that when we start practicing bhakti, it’s not a magic switch that makes all distress disappear. We will still experience challenges, but bhakti offers something significant.

There is some unavoidable suffering that is actually required for growth. Growth means, for example, a student who just wants to play, but the mother encourages them to study. The child starts learning to speak, write, and recognize words. This is not easy, but once they learn, the whole world opens up to them. If they don’t learn, they will miss out on that entire world for the rest of their life. So, some suffering is necessary for progress.

Now, I will make two more points before we conclude the class. First, there is perceivable suffering and suffering at a more fundamental, non-perceivable level. For example, you might feel swelling in your gums, but the root cause could be something deeper, like cancer. Similarly, many of our problems, like not having enough money, job insecurity, or conflicts at home, are perceivable problems. These problems are real, and we cannot ignore them.

But these perceivable problems are just symptoms of a more fundamental issue: the soul’s misidentification with the material world. The soul’s attachment to the material world leads to more fundamental problems like birth, old age, disease, and death (Janmabandhu Jarayana). These are the core problems we face in life.

When we practice bhakti, it does not immediately solve the problems of Janmabandhu Jarayana. If there is a disease, there will still be suffering. However, two important things happen when we practice bhakti: First, the world becomes smaller, and Krishna becomes bigger in our life. When Krishna is bigger and the world becomes smaller, we start to see the world differently.

For most people, when the world is big and Krishna is small, the world is filled with dualities—ups and downs. Sometimes people honor us, sometimes they dishonor us; sometimes it’s hot, sometimes it’s cold. To the extent we are attached to the material world, these dualities affect us more. But as we progress spiritually, we learn to transcend these dualities and realize that Krishna’s presence is what matters most.

So, consider someone who is very attached to something. For example, I met someone from Sri Lanka in Canada. He came to teach me opera classes, and I initially thought he was Indian, but he told me he was from Sri Lanka. He shared that he had been introduced to cricket around 9–10 years ago, sometime between 2010 and 2015–16. During this period, Sri Lanka made it to the finals of about 3 or 4 World Cup tournaments but lost each time, including matches against India and other countries. He said, “I was a very avid cricket fan. I had two friends, both of whom were also great fans. The third time Sri Lanka lost, we were all completely depressed. Then, my friend committed suicide because of that.”

I was completely shocked. It’s hard to fathom. None of the players committed suicide, even though they took the game seriously. But for them, it’s still just a game. What happens in this world is that when we become too attached to something, the dualities—wins and losses, highs and lows—become much bigger.

This is what happens when we work in an office. One day, we feel like we love the job because the boss gives us positive feedback. The next day, the boss gives us some constructive criticism, and we might think, “Why did I even take this job? I hate it!” So, we tend to go up and down. This can even happen in relationships. These days, relationships are largely based on emotions. One day, someone might say, “You’re so wonderful, I love you, I can’t live without you,” and the next day, they might say, “How could you do that? You’re such a terrible person, I hate you, I can’t live with you.”

So, when we experience these dualities, they are real. But our overreaction to them can make life’s problems far bigger than they need to be. Yes, if your favorite team loses, it’s disappointing. If your boss gives you negative feedback, or a family member is not there when you need them, it’s a problem. But it’s our reaction to these dualities that amplifies the problems.

This is how we become materially unstable. It leads to avoidable distress. As I mentioned earlier, there is both avoidable and unavoidable distress. So, we go to work, the boss gives us some negative feedback, and that’s painful. But if we get upset and shout at the boss, and the boss fires us, then that leads to a much bigger problem. Many times, we make our problems worse because of our reactions.

When we are materially unstable, it’s mainly because our mind is unstable. We overthink dualities and make them seem too serious. But when we become spiritually connected, the world becomes smaller, and the impact of dualities also lessens. We start becoming more stable in facing them.

The practice of bhakti helps us become mentally more peaceful. It’s not that the dualities will go away, but our ability to face them with steadiness improves. When the world becomes smaller, we become more stable. If someone speaks rudely to us, it’s never pleasant, but it no longer has the same emotional power over us. It’s not such a big deal anymore.

Much of the distress in our lives comes from our overreactions to situations. These overreactions increase the instability we experience. Now, for many people, the idea of steadiness amidst dualities sounds very appealing. We want to remain composed and peaceful. But it can also seem very difficult because we are conditioned to seek happiness in material things.

For example, we think, “If India wins, I’ll be extremely happy,” or “If India loses, I’ll be very peaceful and detached.” But that’s not how it works. If we invest our emotions in something, the more we delight in its positive side, the more we’ll suffer when the negative side comes up. For instance, if we become very happy when someone praises us, we’ll find it hard to stay steady when that same person criticizes us.

Dualities are like a coin: one side is pleasure (honor, success) and the other side is pain (dishonor, failure). We can’t enjoy one side and stay steady when the other side appears. This is why many people find it difficult to be steady amidst dualities. If we become detached or steady, it seems like life will lose its emotional highs, and that doesn’t seem appealing to many.

However, as we deepen our connection with Krishna, Krishna becomes the source of our spiritual happiness. So, even though the material world’s dualities don’t disappear, our source of happiness shifts. The steadiness that comes from bhakti is not about detaching from everything, but about finding stability in our relationship with Krishna.

And this experience of spiritual happiness is shubhada. As we start practicing bhakti, our connection with Krishna grows stronger. For example, if we are doing sadhana properly, the first time we attend a kirtan, it may feel nice—just a nice ritual, and we may feel good doing it. But as we continue practicing bhakti, we attend the kirtan again, and what we experience becomes much deeper, much richer.

Similarly, many of us are born into pious families, and we may have celebrated Janmashtami in the past, perhaps just as a tradition. But when we practice bhakti, and then come to the Janmashtami festival, we hear about Krishna, chant His name, and take darshan of Krishna, the joy is much deeper. A new dimension of happiness opens for us.

Shubhada means that a whole new universe, a whole dimension of happiness that was previously inaccessible, starts becoming available to us. In this sense, bhakti helps us move toward a higher happiness and away from the distress of the material world. This is how the two characteristics—klesha agni (the fire that burns suffering) and moksha shada (the path to liberation)—become manifest.

Now, regarding the sufferings in our life, how do our present and past karma relate to them? How does karma work, and how does it relate to bhakti? I will discuss that in today’s conversation. Let me summarize what I have discussed so far.

Today, I covered four main points. We are talking about the first two characteristics of pure emotional service. The first thing I mentioned is that when we talk about pure emotional service, it’s a spectrum, not binary logic. It’s not like a 0 or 1 situation. It’s like considering health and sickness. There are extremes, but it is a range of shades in between. So when we talk about bhakti, it doesn’t mean that until we reach pure emotional service, we won’t experience any of the aspects of bhakti. We experience them in our present state, but they become more pronounced as we practice.

Why am I explaining these characteristics? Because I mentioned that in scriptures, there are timeless aspects and timely aspects. When we talk about pure emotional service, realization means explaining things in a way that suits the audience’s context. In the 16th century, scripture references were given by figures like Rupa Goswami to explain these characteristics. But today, to understand these characteristics, we will focus on practical experiences or practical analysis.

Then, I discussed the idea that when suffering goes away and auspiciousness comes, what does this mean? We talked about the Gokhale layer and how the Gita is not pessimistic. It actually relieves Arjuna’s distress and reassures him not to grieve.

Regarding suffering, we discussed two categories: avoidable and unavoidable. When we start practicing the Gita, we first learn to avoid the avoidable suffering, and eventually, the unavoidable suffering becomes something we learn to tolerate and transcend. We’ll explore how we do that later.

Next, we discussed the concept of perceivable and non-perceivable causes of suffering. For example, someone may have symptoms of a disease, but the actual cause of the disease may not be immediately perceivable. Similarly, in bhakti, we may be experiencing suffering or challenges, but by practicing bhakti, we are being diagnosed and treated, and the root cause starts to get addressed.

For us, when we practice bhakti, we become materially peaceful—this is klesha agni—and we also experience spiritual joy, which is shubhada. So, the practice of bhakti brings us a brighter future, both in terms of overcoming material distress and experiencing spiritual bliss.

Now, the specific problems we face and to what extent bhakti addresses them will be discussed in the next session. Are there any questions or comments?

Sure. Arjuna, can we say that the problem you are seeing is from a humanitarian perspective? Like the questions he was putting to Krishna, it seems to be growing in that way. So, can we see it that way?

Yes, definitely. Having said that, it’s not that the human side of our existence is to be rejected. See, spirituality is not meant to extinguish our humanity. It’s meant to expand our identity beyond our humanity. We are still human beings, but we are also more than human beings.

That’s why, later on, when Arjuna is about to give up, Krishna chastises him. The Bhagavad Gita does not ignore the human experience; it provides a higher perspective. Our spirituality doesn’t negate the human experience—it just adds a greater dimension to it.

Krishna doesn’t rigidly separate the two. At the end of the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says, “Yatra Yogeshwara Krishna,” where the human and divine come together, there will be no defeat. Now, of course, in the material world, everything is temporary. The Pandavas’ kingdom was temporary, but during their rule, they arranged things in such a way that the eternal truths could be pursued.

My point is that improving things at the material level is not wrong. The problem arises when we focus only on material improvement without considering the spiritual aspect. This is like taking pain medication without addressing the root cause of the illness. Material improvement is not a bad thing, but it shouldn’t come at the cost of neglecting spirituality.

In the Bhagavad Gita, specifically in the 4th Canto, there is a story of Maharaj Prithu. His kingdom faces a famine, and there is a shortage of food and water, especially food. The citizens of his kingdom look to him for a solution. I’m not saying we shouldn’t change our perspective or look for material solutions, but we must also remember to maintain the spiritual perspective.

Let me elaborate on this diagram. There is material improvement and spiritual improvement. If only material improvement exists and there is no spiritual progress, that’s not ideal. If there is spiritual improvement without material improvement, that’s good, but it can still be difficult. The best scenario is when both spiritual and material improvement occur together. For example, in the reign of Ram Rajya, it wasn’t just spiritually auspicious—it was also materially prosperous.

So, it’s not that material improvement should be condemned. The problem with much of modern technological advancement is that it often comes at the expense of spiritual well-being. It may reject the idea of God or spirituality, and focus only on technological or economic development, which can create smaller but significant problems in the long run.

So, this is not a method. We will talk more about this in the next session. Hare Krishna, Ramji, very nicely explained. I have one doubt. When you talk about avoidable suffering and unavoidable suffering, you said the unavoidable sufferings must be tolerated and gradually transcended. So, how can we practically identify the unavoidable suffering for people with multilayered experiences? Let’s discuss the understanding of karma.

Thank you. My question is, you said the “wicked white and black” is a sense of fear, which we attach to material life. You partly answered this earlier. But what if someone feels they are caught in attachment to material growth and development, and they feel their growth is not on the spiritual side because they are so attached to material life and can’t avoid it? How do we overcome this situation?

See, the growth from mental attachment to spiritual attachment will take time. Everyone has different attachments, and the strength of those attachments varies from person to person. So, we all will grow at our own pace. We shouldn’t worry too much if some attachments don’t go away immediately. Just keep practicing bhakti.

Think of it like this: If two people have the same disease and both are taking the treatment, can we assume they will both be cured at the same pace? No. We need to consider the duration of the disease, the overall immunity, and their health levels. So, as long as we keep practicing bhakti, we are on the path to recovery and health.

Just keep practicing bhakti. This is the work of Krishna’s mercy, and Krishna will guide us. Focus on fixing your mind on Krishna. Rather than focusing on material attachment and trying to force detachment, we can focus on staying connected with Krishna. As we become more connected with Krishna, individual attachments will gradually fade.

For example, if I have this glass, and I try to empty it—not just of water, but also of air—I will find it very difficult to create a vacuum. Emptying our consciousness of all attachment is like this. It’s very difficult. But instead of trying to forcefully empty the glass, if I focus on filling it with water, the air will automatically be pushed out.

Similarly, if we focus on cultivating a connection with Krishna, by doing more sadhana, meditating on Krishna, or becoming more aware of Krishna, our spiritual attachment will grow, and material attachment will naturally diminish.

The metaphor of the world becoming smaller and Krishna becoming bigger is helpful. It’s very hard for us to artificially make the world smaller. But if we focus on remembering Krishna, then Krishna will grow bigger in our lives, and the world will naturally seem smaller.

So, yes, we depend on mercy, but we also have to do our part as much as we can.

Prabhu, when you talked about the spiritual world, I had a doubt. If there is no birth in the spiritual world, how would we react to that?

Ah, that’s a very profound question. In the spiritual world, there is no birth, but it’s like an eternal Leela (divine play). Leela can be understood like a drama. Sometimes we associate drama with something false, but this Leela is the supreme reality.

In a drama, there are many characters, but not all characters are on stage at the same time. In some parts of the drama, some characters appear, while in other parts, different characters take the stage. Similarly, we are currently not in the spiritual world. It’s like the drama is going on, but our part in the drama has not yet been enacted.

So, it’s not that when someone enters the drama stage, they necessarily have to be born and grow up. Sometimes, as part of the drama, we may show that a character is born and grows up. But in other cases, there might be a king and queen, and they have a commander. The commander, whenever needed, is simply called upon, and the character doesn’t need to be born, grow up, and become a commander.

Similarly, we all have roles in the spiritual world. Our roles are presently inactive. But when we become purified and go to the spiritual world, our roles will become activated again. Thank you for the good question.

Thank you very much. So, by the practice of bhakti, we become mentally purified. Some examples you mentioned, are they compared to mental hallucination? Like sometimes people are in various realities and physically suffering, but by practicing pure devotional service, will they experience peace—both mental and physical? What does this mean?

That’s a good question, and a good example to bring up. Let me explain. There is physical reality and spiritual reality. Now, we could also mention virtual reality. Whether it’s real or not is not the main concern, but let’s try to understand this concept.

In general, physical reality can sometimes be very painful or distressing. But most of the time, it’s just boring. For example, if someone’s goal in life is to enjoy their senses, how long can they do that in a day? They eat food for maybe an hour, or enjoy sexual pleasure for a few minutes, but the rest of the time, life can feel dull and uninteresting.

At this point, people often look for something else. This is when they start daydreaming or entering into mental constructs. Entertainment and intoxication are ways people try to escape reality. Some people become disconnected from the physical world altogether and lose themselves in their minds, which leads to mental escapism.

This is similar to what happens in spirituality: as someone becomes more connected to spiritual reality, they may seem disconnected from the material world. However, the key difference is that spiritual reality is real, unlike the imagined world of daydreams, movies, or fantasy.

For example, someone who loves Harry Potter might immerse themselves in that fictional world. But we all know that Hogwarts is not a real place. It exists in the mind of the reader and in the books, but it doesn’t exist outside of that.

On the other hand, in spiritual practices, the spiritual world is not an imaginary place. It is a real, tangible reality that is described by saints and philosophers. These great souls don’t just tell stories; they also explain the nature of this world and the spiritual world, offering practical guidance on how to reach it.

How do we know that the spiritual reality is real? We know because of the teachings from those who have experienced it—great saints, sages, and philosophers—who have provided not just entertaining stories, but deep philosophical insights that explain the nature of the universe and how we can transcend it.

And then we can look at their lives. Many of the saints are not just impractical; they are also very compassionate in this world. Would the world necessarily be a better place with Harry Potter fans? Well, maybe, maybe not. They might just get lost in their own world. But if more people were devoted, kind, compassionate, and helpful, even this world would become a better place.

We can evaluate the teachers in terms of their examples, the teachings in terms of logic, wisdom, and depth of philosophy, and we can look at the transformation that happens in our own lives.

So, based on these three—teachers, teachings, and transformation—we can gradually develop an understanding and conviction that Krishna consciousness is not just a form of entertainment. Those who experience Krishna and have a higher awareness of Krishna are actually experiencing a higher reality. And often, experiencing that higher reality enables them to deal with this material reality better.

In that sense, it is indeed a higher reality.

Thank you very much. Hare Krishna. We are so grateful to Guruji for so wonderfully giving all of us a deeper understanding of the dynamics between Klesha and Sattva. This understanding helps us realize why, even after coming to Krishna consciousness, we continue to suffer. And that is because, as Prabhu says, we are all still in the “middle of the muddle.”

We also understood that the degree of our attachment is proportional to the degree of suffering we experience. So, we all want to make the world smaller and Krishna bigger, and we seek your blessings to apply all these deeper understandings when situations arise. Of course, they arise all the time.

We look forward to Prabhu’s continuation of this beautiful presentation on the six characteristics of devotional service, which will take place this evening at 6:30 at the Sting Hall, as mentioned at the beginning. The session starts at 6:30, so please try to be on time. Encourage everyone who wants to attend to be punctual.

Hare Krishna….

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So That’s the idea. I’ll repeat this in another way. You can see that if this is a person so most of the time, our consciousness is centered on ourselves. So this is self centered consciousness. So most people nowadays have followed So if we care for Krishna, then actually we connect with others at a deeper level.

So when our consciousness doesn’t just arise, So So He’s happy. He’s happy that they’re down to him. In fact, he says that because this was 718 and explained the person in the second. It’s placing. Her love for him, not his love for her.

That she wants to be with him. That’s why she’s accepting his purpose. Later on, even if this boy’s situation improves, he has other options, And that time, he still stays with that girl. That will show his love further. Yeah.

So similarly, when we come to Krishna, many times he do, Pranjali say, you But, in But later on, when other things start seem to work for us, that, okay, our maybe our health is not already recovered, our health we lost our wealth, our relationships are not working, job is an issue. Those problems get solved. So, in that sense and now, I’m talking about the difference between say devotional service and pure emotional service. So, devotional service means that we come to Krishna, but we may come to Krishna for our interests. And, if those interests are fulfilled fine, then we may not there are 3 broad factors in existence.

There are b, the soul, then there is the world, and then there is Krishna. So for us in the we could say when we are largely materialistic we will practicing bhakti, but we are materialistic at that time the world is very big for us and Krishna is small. That means, oh I want fame, I want wealth, I want power. That’s what is more important and if God can help me to get that, that’s what that’s good and good for us. So, God is not very important for us.

But, when we become devoted to Krishna, then the dynamic change. The world becomes small and Krishna becomes big for us. So this is the stage of where you’re going towards your habitual service. This that Krishna becomes the bigger reality. We see this in the songs of the Vaishnavacharya’s where they so they say that some where there’s prosperity or adversity.

So that is the level of realization where we can practice pure root resistance. Now what does it mean when you say Krishna becomes the bigger reality? It is it it does our priority. How important do we consider Krishna? Krishna is always the biggest reality, and Krishna even showed Duryodhan.

His wish group how he is the biggest reality. And what happened to the then? Nothing. It’s amazing how the mind can come up with the reasons to continue to believe what we want to do. So when later on, Buddha was reminded Krishna is God.

Krishna showed the Vishwa. Did you see that? I did not have so much responsibility as a prince while growing up, I could also have done the first human, I could have shown a mom bigger than Krishna’s. So, he did even after seeing that form Krishna did not become the bigger reality. So, it is in terms of our triadicalization.

So, we want Krishna to become the bigger reality for us. And, it’s not just that, there’s one more difference. It is that initially for us, Krishna is the means and the world is the ends. That means, I worship Krishna so that I can get good marks in the exam, so that I can, get a better a better good life partner, so that I help them all those things. Now, again this is not a bad thing.

It is good that we are worshiping Krishna for whatever it is, but it is not the best. If a devotee has some ability the devotee will try to find how can I use this ability to serve Krishna? So, in this way the dynamic changes. So, when we are talking about pure devotional service, what does it mean? It means from what we discussed?

Three things that pure devotional service means our relationship with Krishna is it is not transactional, it is transformational. And, the third is that Krishna becomes the ends for us. And, the world is not just a means, but it is a means, okay, whatever we get from the world that is okay. So, Sudhama, even when we had had very little, he brought some just broken rights to what to offer the Lord. So, whatever means he to offer the Lord.

So whatever means he had, he said, let me make some offer to him. So this is the idea of pure emotional service. Now, why should we actually at all practice pure consciousness? So, when we talk about any relationship, so, did you not talk about what does this relationship mean? Now we may we all may have different reasons.

Say, if you want to build a relationship with someone, you want to build a good relationship with our boss. Is it okay then your boss, my job will be secured, maybe I need promoted. So when we say that we’re talking about pure devotion service. So understanding the glory of pure devotion service can inspire us to practice pure truths. So when we start about pure devotion service, there are two ways of understanding this that are other characteristics.

What does it mean that these are these are what can inspire us? These can inspire us to practice pure devotion service. But secondly it can it be aspire toward those things. That means if your motion service means that, oh, this actually attracts Krishna also. Therefore, I aspire to come to the level of unity by which Krishna becomes a character.

It’s almost like inspiration is something that comes to us. Aspiration is something that we cultivate. Like, I aspire for something. I am inspired by something. So, there is a slight difference between them, but it is not a major difference.

So, at this point are there any questions? Because I would like to clarify the concept of pure emotion surface before we go into its characteristics. Are there any questions at this point? Okay. I just like to know how many questions are there.

Then I decide how many moments. 1, 2. Okay. Okay. So I’ll just introduce the practice of your database.

We’ll take 1 or 2, and then we’ll have a system. So should we go to 10:30 or 10:5? So I was I’ll talk about the details more details more. So now the characteristics of your emotions are less are often described. If we have like a flower, they are described in terms of sets of patterns.

So these coming sets of 2 to each. So the first two, does anyone remember this? Do you know the 6 characteristics? Yeah. So claysh vin.

Claysh vin means remover removes stress, Then Shubhada. Shubhada is it brings auspiciousness. So, I will explain why these come in this kind of sets, they are considered like a couplet. So, it removes the stress, it brings auspiciousness in other. This is more in terms of this this set is it it it is more in terms of effect on us.

How it affects us? So, that that is it will remove stress from our life, it will bring auspiciousness. Now, there is slight difference between auspiciousness and happiness we will talk about the difference it is similar but not exactly the same. Then what are the next two characteristics? So means it makes liberation seem insignificant.

Generally, in the for those who are who know something about spirituality for them moksha is considered to be life’s highest goal. So bad, a t especially pure total service is so glorious So it makes it itself small. So here, it is more in terms of the this is the, it is more like the nature of bhakt itself. 1 is its effect on us but these 2 is more of that a is such that it makes something else which is glorious seem not so glorious. So, that is motion is 2 and what are they last 2?

Akashree. So I’ll explain this. These are concentrated bliss. So, we’ll focus more on these last two characteristics. We’ll talk briefly, but we’ll focus primarily on the first two characteristics because those are what are related with us.

So these 6 characteristics, it’s it’s the way this is described, it’s very interesting description that it’s like, it’s not just the characteristic of Krishna, it’s not the characteristic of the soul, it is the characteristic of the relationship itself. Normally, we don’t think of a relationship as something different from the people in the relationship. It’s like, you say I have a good relationship with that person. If you think I have a good relationship with him, that means you are in a good illusion. So the idea is we think we don’t think of relationship itself having any characteristics.

It’s like when I say I have a good relationship, what it means is that that person’s disposition towards me is good, my disposition toward that person is good. We don’t think of relationship itself generally speaking as having some characteristics to itself. We think of the people in the relationship and what kind of disposition they have. So if there are 2 people in any kind of relationship, so then what does it mean to say the characteristics of the relationship itself? So, here the idea is that it certainly depends on the cookie cutter in any relationship, Now, there are many different relationship in the world, but one characteristic of the parent child relationship is that it brings a sense of responsibility.

You can say responsibility in every relationship, but in the So for example, there is in the western world, nowadays, there is a lot of, intermixing among the genders. Every culture has had some gender boundaries, but what exactly the gender boundaries will be that g has changed with the passing of culture. So, now, often people ask this question, can a man and a woman be friends? So, what is the difference between say a friendly relationship and a romantic relationship? Now, there is in the male female dynamic, there is something intrinsic to the relationship.

Now, we can say yes, a man and woman can be friends. They don’t have to be friends. In that, in friendship it is more like the 2 people share an interest. It is like generally the vision of friendship is 2 people are together looking at something whereas, in a romance they are each other’s interest. So, like, the romance means 2 people are looking at each other.

So, what happened now in friendship it doesn’t mean that we are not interested in other person, but generally friendship okay, you know, we like sports, we are interested in politics, we would like to lose this service. So we have some shared interests and from that, we also become interested in, but the primary thing is in friendship is that there’s something to talk about, something some shared interest. So, but whereas, so that’s why a romantic relationship friendly relationship differences and we can have many friends, but a romantic relationship becomes more exclusive. The idea is that again, what my what I’m talking about over here is that relationships themselves have certain intrinsic characteristics. So, so similarly, the relationship with Krishna also has certain intrinsic characteristics and those characteristics, the more we understand and appreciate them, the more we can become inspired and transformed with it.

So, now what those characteristics are and how we can better understand them that I will discuss in tomorrow’s session. We will be having this 4 part series tomorrow morning and then Monday Tuesday evenings. So is that Sunday, Monday evening? Yeah. Sorry.

Morning. Sunday, Monday morning. So tomorrow all for morning to you? Tomorrow morning. Today, I’m talking in a topic of the characteristics of your mobile service.

I I talked about first what is pure mobile service, the concept of your mobile service. So first, we discussed about how that the relationship itself, it can be the transaction of transformation. So we discussed how for most people, say, the relationship initially might be self centered. And from being self centered, it grows towards we start caring for someone else. That’s like the more like a horizontal expansion of consciousness.

But as we grow, we don’t just care for others. We also start caring for Krishna. And then, when that happens, it like a holistic expansion of consciousness. So, it is horizontal and vertical both. So, this is where we start connecting with Krishna.

So, we talked about the sequence from 12.8 to 12.11, the arcs we discuss what is this arcs? Do you remember this? Aspenish did not aspenish what is it? Absorbs. Absorbs Shiva that the highest level is absorbed Krishna Otherwise, we try to remember Krishna.

So recollection and repetition of the recollection. And otherwise at least cultivate some selflessness that means, at some level something for something beyond our we do something for someone beyond ourselves. See nowadays there is lot of environment like there is a is there or there is concern for social justice people want to be a part of something bigger. So, this is a sequence from 12.8 to 11 krishna dot sum. So we talked about the characteristic of how relationship with such a dynamic.

And then we talked about the Krishna soul relationship. We we talked about metaphors over there. How that the parent child relationship, now Krishna, he’s happy that we come to him for any reason. He’s in 718, he says that he causes Uddhara and that shows Krishna’s love for us. That what whatever reason we come to him, he is happy.

But then the, say, the boy girl relationship or the young that relationship metaphor, that shows that do we want to be with Krishna even when things are working for us? That shows our love for Krishna. So we discussed how initially the world is big and Krishna is small, but eventually for us, the world becomes big and Krishna becomes the world becomes small and Krishna becomes big. And, and through this, we discussed how not just that Krishna becomes initially is the means, but eventually, it becomes the enemies for us. And then lastly, we discussed the idea of the characteristic of relationship itself.

It’s not just character to Not just character to the relationship, but just like a parenting relationship brings responsibility. So a romantic relationship brings a certain level of exclusivity. A friendly relationship has some kind of shared interests. So like that relationship itself can have characteristics, and the 6 characteristics that are intrinsic to the relationship with Krishna itself, we will be discussing over the next sessions. Thank you very much.

He doesn’t need us, but he wants us. You know, we need Krishna, but we don’t want Krishna. That is the situation. See, need means that actually, that person can’t survive. It’s not like that, but They don’t need anyone over there because they have enough food for themselves, but they want to share that food.

So that is Krishna is so complete in himself that he wants to actually share with us. Is when it doesn’t work. But actually, Krishna gives and forgives. We get and forget it. And specifically, in this country, we are trying to practice Krishna consciousness by spreading the message of Krishna.

But somehow the other, he gets stuck into the infinite position where we try to incline towards Krishna, Yes. It was to her life. So the question is that sometimes when we want to connect with Krishna, but when things become very difficult in our situation in life, then then the just her cloth seem to be mystically expanded. And how it happened nobody could understand that. So when she didn’t see Krishna, because her eyes are closed, she called out to Krishna all those emotions will also come.

But there’s a difference between it’s like it is a serious relationship. Sometimes, But both of them we have a very heated discussion about what to do, but underlying that anger is actually a deep connection. They care for each other, they care for their child and that’s when they’re concerned. So, you know, there’s a serious relationship. A serious relationship means that relationship is big enough to improve with negative emotions.

To absorb our anger, to absorb our fear, to absorb our doubts. So it shouldn’t be that because of our fear, our doubts, our anger, our insecurity, it shouldn’t be that we don’t go toward Krishna So as long as what happens is those emotions, they will come and they will go. But underlying that is the steady relation. So sometimes when practicing Bhakti, we feel very happy, sometimes we feel a little unhappy. But that underlying relationship stays steady.

So how do we maintain that faith? I’ll talk about one principle over here. So first first point I have is that emotion going up and down is as natural. But at that time when we talk about faith, faith is ultimately a matter of choice. In our life, there are things that can strengthen our faith, and there are things that can weaken our faith.

So, we can think of time is when by our practice of bhakti, things have worked out positive universe. We have to say bhakti things have worked out positive and we can think of time when things have not worked out positive. So the nature of this world is that it is a place where sometimes the evidence of the world will support our way, sometimes the evidence of the world will not support. So ultimately, it becomes a choice of the evidence. Which evidence will I focus on?

Now you see and then how do I make sense of the times when, say, my faith was not supported? And required some philosophy to understand. But if we shift our focus, it’s a matter of choice. What do I dwell on? Then it is up to us to that’s how we can maintain our feet.

And those who can help us make their choice when we have our association and the association also some new notice if some new notice feeling I’m feeling very Yes. Regarding this, aspiration. So that aspiration comes from the faith and love for the practice. Where does the aspiration come from? That is very difficult.

So where does Brahma Jigyasa come from? It’s it’s a difficult question. So in this taking that point further from generic spiritual inquiring to a specific devotional aspiration. So we the same principle applies. So there is, there’s a lot of analysis, but broadly you can say there are human factors and there are divine factors.

So the human fact the divine factors, of course, gurukrupa, grace of mercy. Among the human factors are our past karma. Some people may have practiced some of the outcomes which are in the previous life and that’s why It can be a a lot of breaking. Say, the way our parent is raised us. Of course, can be extended forward, it can also be our association.

So we come in the association of devotees, and then we see the practice in Bhakti that inspires us. And, ultimately, it is our joys. So our upbringing or our past lives karma, even Krishna’s mercy, they can prompt us in particular directions. But it is ultimately our choice. So now if you consider the Kripa, we don’t know when Krishna will be the Kripa.

We can’t conclude that. Our past karma, whatever it is, it is what it is. We can’t do it. Our upbringing also it is what it is. But we can say if you make this as 2 separate factors, our association our association is what we can change, and that can inspire us to change our choices.

So where does the aspiration come from? It depends. So it’s like sometimes it can be an outside in process. Sometimes it can be the inside out. What does it mean outside?

Sometimes it means we act our way to emotions. That means I just come in the association of devotees and they are praying they are doing kirtan. So, I also start doing kirtan then they are offering me I also start offering me And then by that action, the devotions has come. That’s more like outside. Now sometimes it can be inside out.

That means we feel our way to actions. So whichever way that’s why the operational principle at our level is, somehow there. It can be outside in, it can be inside out, whatever way it works. And the aspiration should be only, done for the pleasure of the Lord. So I’m doing it.

So can I understand it, this way? Inspiration and aspiration. Okay. Yeah. That is definitely one way to understand it.

In one sense, you could say that it’s the same principle of desire that inspiration is when the desire comes to us. Aspiration is when we bring the desire from within. So in that sense, there is a slight difference. Now we could go further and when you talk about aspiration, the aspiration can get various levels. The inspiration can also be at various levels.

You say, those who guide people who are the you don’t need much guiding, but people it’s not that for many people who come more than parikarma is like a weight loss exercise. It is, you know, it’s something biased also, but, you know, it’s not very far from Vrindavan. But far from Delhi, so you come to Vrindavan, it’s natural, it’s scenic. And it is some level of exercise. Now, of course, they don’t have, like, a golden, like, from a marathon or something like that.

It’s not that uncommon. But the idea is now people are coming for that reason. So is that a bad thing? Is it a good thing? It’s a good thing.

So the aspiration, maybe they could just go to a gym and they could just, walk on a treadmill, But they can also be at various levels and similar the inspiration can also be at various levels. So, so the inspiration okay my friend he went and did golden barikama or she went and did golden barikama. So, let me also go into it. Now, some of them may have done it out of a more devotional purpose. Some of them may have done it for a more health purpose.

That’s okay. So generally speaking, in spirit that dynamic of inspiration aspiration is independent of the level. So we do want to aspire for pure motor service, and then we seek the inspiration that will give us pure motor service. What happens even in Devotee Association? There are different kinds of devotees.

Some devotees are very interested in gossip. Is it today? There is, you know, when does gossip happen? Gossip in our treasury call it majamba. It’s generally what happens 2 things have come together for gossip to happen.

First is we hear something we like about someone we don’t like. So if we like that person, then we won’t gossip about that. You know, if something bad has happened or So it’s not that devote all devotees come to Krishna consciousness for Krishna consciousness only. It is like the nature of the mind is such that it is always looking for alternatives to Krishna. So even in Krishna consciousness, we start looking for alternatives to Krishna.

So one alternative is a little more tamas it is become in the association and then we start looking for faults, looking for negating those of those that are in association. So, our aspiration and especially we would like them to be more elevated, but it’s a dynamic both. Both are related with the desire how it rises. So thank you so much. Do you have a question?

Yes. Last question. Okay. So when I see the okay. Let’s see if I can explain this in a way you can understand.

First, I’ll confuse you. Okay? See, words have many different meanings. So that’s called the multivalence of what like, in English, the word run has 650 plus meanings. No.

I’m going for a run. I’m running because my car has stopped running. Because this person is running for president, I’m running away from this country. So the word run has different needs. So like that, the word karma also has different needs.

So you are using the word karma in terms of reactions. So reactions to past actions. So, yes, the reactions to past actions can be changed by the way that is that angkams and babi and vouchisham experiences. But karma can also refer to So karma refers to action. So it is a past actions.

So whatever actions we have done in the past, say, if you plan to wake up at 4 o’clock, but we go about 6 o’clock. Now, no matter how seriously we challenge Krishna, we can’t wake up at 4 o’clock today. Even that past action cannot be changed. So in that sense I use the word karma about whatever actions we have done in the past they cannot be changed. Like Krishna’s word see the reactions to them can be changed.

Now, karma can also refer to the like we have karma, akarma, vikarma. So like it it refers to good action. Now karma can actually also refer to duty. This actions means any actions. Meanings.

I was you referring to it in this sense, you are referring to it in this sense. Does it make any sense? So, see suppose we make a mistake, say you’re giving an example and you give a wrong answer next. Then the teacher will say that okay, you know you can use the same thing for again next time and you can do better. So now that exam, the wrong answer we have given, we can’t change that.

But we can have a second chance in which you can do better. So, but sometimes if the teacher is not very helpful or whatever you say you get a wrong answer you have lost the chance you cannot do it differently. So, that is if so Krishna is merciful in the sense that if you have done some bad actions and we are going to get some bad reactions, so we are going to lose the chance, but Krishna will use a chance again. So in that sense the reactions to our past karma can be changed, but the action itself once we have done an action nobody can change that action that Krishna has arranged the world in such a way that time flows forward time doesn’t flow backwards. So, once an action is done we can’t undo the action.

So, so we’re going to go through this, flow, with this lecture and the coming few lectures with, Brody. And, thank you very much, Prabhuchi, for, how should I say? Generally, for people who are practicing Krishna consciousness, it’s mostly to do with, with reading on the surface of what the scriptures say and then somehow making some connections here and there. And then somehow making some connections here and there. But, the way Prabhu presents the Krishna conscious philosophy is that he he makes the connection to what Krishna speaks in the deepest so deeply that, there’s very little room for us to miss the point.

So thank you, Prabhu, for bringing us closer to the teachings of Krishna, which which actually means bringing us closer to Krishna. And So we will, so we will have the next session in the series, tomorrow at 10 o’clock. What have we announced? 10 o’clock, same venue. We request all of you to She’s a new navigator.

So Thankyou very much…

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